NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI: Heritage Holding Closes Inaugural Fund with Support from Institutional Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fundraising Target Met in Four Months with $220 Million in Committed Capital

    Strong Interest from Institutional, High-Net-Worth and Existing Investors

    BOSTON, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Heritage Holding (“Heritage” or “the Company”), a Boston-based private equity firm focused on advancing its successful record of partnering with small business owners and founders, today announced the successful close of its first, institutionally-backed Fund I (the “Fund”) with total committed capital of $220 million. The fundraise was completed in four months and was oversubscribed with commitments from leading institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals and existing investors.

    Heritage was founded in 2015 by Harvard Business School classmates and former co-CEOs of Maicom, Alex de Pfyffer and Ross Porter. Since inception, the Company has established itself as a leader in acquiring and growing small businesses across the services sector, working closely with owners and founders through operational improvements and M&A to build their companies into industry leaders. The Company’s dedicated investment team is highly experienced in sourcing acquisitions and strives to unlock overlooked opportunities in the small business world. Heritage’s history and forward ambition is to partner with successful business owners in providing private equity capital for M&A and sales growth, software implementation and, when desirable, enabling sellers to transition out of their companies over time.

    “Our goal is to focus on five platforms in industries that are on our shortlist and to scale those platforms quickly,” said Ross Porter, Heritage Holding Co-Founder. “Operational bandwidth and focused resources for growth are scarce in the small business ecosystem, which gives Heritage a unique opportunity to identify attractive founder led businesses across a variety of critical industries and build high performing and sustainable companies that can drive attractive outcomes for all stakeholders.”

    “Ross and I are extremely proud of the firm we have built, and we are grateful for the continued support of our investors, advisors and for the hard work of the HH team,” said Alex de Pfyffer, Heritage Holding Co-Founder. “With strong support from a world-class team of investors, the closing of this fund allows us to continue partnering with small business owners, founders and entrepreneurs to successfully grow their businesses and build leading platforms to better serve customers.”

    Small businesses often face unique operational challenges. The Heritage team recognizes and supports these challenges by taking on essential operations roles in the businesses in which the Company invests. In addition to Heritage’s strong operational involvement, the firm differentiates its value creation strategy by enhancing systems and software, focusing on driving new sales growth and enabling rapid and sustainable scaling through mergers and acquisitions.

    “Heritage did what they said they were going to do, they took care of my team, they tripled my business in size, expanded to the West Coast, and we opened a new successful operation in Canada. They are skilled executives and business operators, but above all they are trustworthy and honest good people,” said Paul Maiuri, former owner of Maicom.

    Heritage invests across the business services, healthcare, technology, telecom & IT services, industrial services and special situations industries. Since its founding, Heritage has completed over 25 acquisitions across eight platform companies.

    About Heritage Holding

    Heritage Holding is a micro-cap private equity firm that partners with small business owners and founders to build great companies by driving growth, increasing scale, diversifying service offerings and expanding businesses’ geographic footprints. Founded in 2015 by Harvard Business School classmates and former co-CEOs of Maicom, Alex de Pfyffer and Ross Porter, the firm targets companies across the business services, healthcare, technology, telecom & IT services, industrials and special situations industries where it feels it can add value through its operational expertise.

    Since inception, Heritage has completed 25 acquisitions across eight platform investments and has an investment team of over 12 individuals.

    Heritage is headquartered in Boston, MA and has offices in New York, NY and Raleigh, NC. For more information, please visit www.heritage-holding.com.

    Contact

    Dan Gagnier
    Gagnier Communications
    HeritageHolding@gagnierfc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor unveils package to deliver promises of new government

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Chancellor has today unveiled a package of measures to deliver on the agenda of the new government.

    • 750 schools with primary aged pupils funded for breakfast club pilot to run from April 2025
    • New Industrial Strategy to be published in spring
    • Decision to write off over £640 million in written off Covid PPE contracts reversed
    • HMRC to consult on e-invoicing for businesses and government departments

    The Chancellor has today unveiled a package of measures to deliver on the agenda of the new government including a breakfast club pilot for 750 schools with primary aged pupils, new powers for the Covid Corruption Commissioner, e-invoicing to support business and the next steps on the government’s industrial strategy.

    School Breakfast Club Pilot

    The Chancellor announced that up to 750 schools with primary aged pupils will be invited to take part in a £7 million breakfast club pilot. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils in the summer term (April-July 2025).

    The Department for Education will work with the schools selected as part of the pilot to understand how breakfast clubs can be delivered to meet the needs of schools, parents and pupils when the programme is rolled out nationally.

    This will help reduce the number of students at schools with primary aged pupils starting the school day hungry and ensure children come to school ready to learn. It will also support the government’s aim to tackle child poverty by addressing rising food insecurity among children.

    Covid Corruption Commissioner

    Reeves also announced a block on any Covid-era PPE contract being abandoned or waived until it has been assessed by the new Covid Corruption Commissioner, whom will be appointed in October. 

    The decision will affect £647 million of Covid PPE contracts where contract recovery was previously earmarked to be waived. 

    It follows action already in motion to cut government waste and curb unnecessary spending. In her statement to Parliament in July, the Chancellor pledged to halve government consultancy spend from 2025-26, with savings targets of £550 million this financial year and a further £680 million in the next already announced.

    Excessive use of ministerial travel by aeroplane and helicopter is also being cutdown, with a contract for a VIP helicopter previously cancelled.

    Industrial Strategy

    The Chancellor also today announced that the Industrial Strategy will be at the heart of the government’s mission to grow the economy, unlock investment and make every part of the country better off. It will focus on delivering long-term change to the economy by making Britain a clean energy superpower and accelerating to net zero, breaking down barriers to regional growth, and building a secure and resilient economy.

    A green paper will be published around Budget in October outlining the long-term sectoral growth and priority industries of the government, ahead of the final strategy published in the spring of 2025 following a consultation with business.

    HMRC package

    Chancellor Reeves also outlined a package of reforms to improve the UK’s tax system to help fix the foundations of the UK economy.

    As part of the package, HMRC will soon launch a consultation on electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) to promote its wider use across UK businesses and government departments.

    The introduction of e-invoicing can significantly reduce administrative tasks, improve cash flow, boost productivity, introduce automation, and reduce errors in tax returns – all helping to close the tax gap. The consultation will gather input from businesses on how HMRC can support investment in and encourage e-invoicing uptake.

    The Chancellor also announced that Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray, the minister responsible for the UK’s tax system, has become the Chair of the HMRC Board. This is to help oversee the implementation of his three strategic priorities for HMRC; closing the tax gap, modernising and reforming, and improving customer service.

    It was also announced that a new Digital Transformation Roadmap, aimed to be published in Spring 2025, will set out HMRC’s vision to be a digital first organisation underpinned by customer insight. The Roadmap will include measures to ensure digital inclusion and support for customers who cannot yet interact digitally.

    There was a further update that new staff are expected to join HMRC’s training programme in November as 200 additional offer letters have been issued as part of the 450 letters already sent. This is part of HMRC’s plans to recruit an additional 5,000 compliance staff to help close the tax gap.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates Streamlines Course Offerings, Boosts Enrollment, and Enhances School Partnerships

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Neag School of Education’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) has implemented significant changes over the past year aimed at better accommodating the needs of students and school district partners. The main shift was the program’s length, which decreased from 11 months to 10 months beginning with the summer 2024 cohort.

    The decision to start the full-time program in mid-June proved beneficial in multiple ways. Under the previous structure, students who already worked in schools and wanted to pursue teacher certification had to leave their jobs before the end of the school year, which posed a challenge for them and their districts.

    “This new timeline was chosen after a careful review of district calendars across the state,” says Tracy Sinclair, director of TCPCG. “By delaying the start, candidates working as paraprofessionals or long-term substitutes no longer had to quit their jobs early, helping school districts retain essential staff during the critical end-of-school period in June.”

    Sinclair notes this change has also led to a demographic shift in the program’s enrollment. While there are still non-traditional students making mid-career transitions into teaching, many program participants are now recent college graduates.

    “The 10-month program design allows these graduates a brief break between completing their undergraduate studies and starting the intensive graduate program,” she says. “Previously, students had only a few days between their undergraduate graduation and the start of TCPCG, which left little room for adjustment.”

    Instead of offering two six-week summer semesters, the new program structure consolidates coursework into one 10-week summer semester. This allows students to spend more time on fewer courses, enabling a deeper understanding of critical pedagogical concepts. Sinclair explains that this shift from “a mile wide and an inch deep” to more focused, longer courses has improved the overall quality of the education students receive.

    This condensed timeline allows me to balance family responsibilities while pursuing my teaching career and minimizing time away from my children. &#8212 Kamie Merithew, current student

    Despite these changes, Sinclair acknowledges that the program remains rigorous. Students still take five graduate courses over 10 weeks in the summer, which can be challenging. However, the new structure includes shorter class days and built-in time for school-based clinical experiences, giving students more flexibility.

    Ultimately, the shift to a 10-month program has positively impacted enrollment. Sinclair reports a 57% increase in enrollment across all four regional campuses that offer the program, which she attributes to a combination of effective marketing and the appeal of the redesigned structure. This growth is a promising sign for the program’s future as it continues to adapt to meet the needs of aspiring teachers and the Neag School’s partner schools.

    “This condensed timeline allows me to balance family responsibilities while pursuing my teaching career and minimizing time away from my children,” says Kamie Merithew, a current TCPCG student. “As an adult transitioning careers later in life, I can quickly leverage my valuable life experiences and transferable skills in the classroom. The shorter program also reduces tuition costs and living expenses and enables me to gain practical experience to start teaching sooner.”

    Joseph Macary ’94 (CLAS), ’05 ELP, ’16 Ed.D., Vernon Public Schools’ superintendent, is an enthusiastic supporter of TCPCG’s new residency program. (Defining Studios)

    Another change to TCPCG, initially launched in 2021 with just a handful of districts, is its residency program offering students a half-year paid experience in participating school districts. These residencies allow students to spend two days in their specific content area and three days as a building substitute, providing them with valuable hands-on experience. At first, the program was small, but as demand grew the number of participating schools expanded rapidly. Now, TCPCG has partnered with over 20 schools across Connecticut.

    In 2022-2023, a significant milestone was achieved when a district offered a full-year residency.

    “Now, all of UConn’s regional campuses have at least one district offering a full-year residency, giving students a unique opportunity to gain sustained experience while alleviating some of the financial pressures associated with a graduate education,” Sinclair says.

    One of the main benefits of this program is that it allows students to gain professional experience while also earning a salary. Sinclair emphasizes that “this blend of earning while learning helps ease the financial burden while still preparing students for a career in teaching.”

    “From the perspective of school districts, the benefits are twofold,” she says. “Not only do they receive an additional staff member in the form of a building substitute during critical times, such as the lead-up to the holiday season, but they also gain the advantage of having a potential future employee immersed in their school environment for an entire year.

    “This full-year engagement serves as a yearlong interview, allowing schools to evaluate the residents in real-world scenarios,” Sinclair says. “For students, this integration into a school community can foster deeper connections and increase their chances of securing employment post-graduation.”

    “I think it’s great that the TCPCG program has a residency program in various school districts,” says Thomas Murray, a current student. “I know a lot of students in my cohort were ecstatic to hear that they will be getting paid for classroom observations. It gives us the opportunity to be at our placement every day and become more comfortable with the students and building.”

    Will Kampfman ’24 MA, who recognizes the benefits of the revamped TCPCG program, spoke during a Teacher Education Appreciation event this summer at UConn Hartford. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

    A recent TCPCG alumnus agrees.

    “In addition to the financial benefits of being able to work while attending school, I was able to both work in the education field and at the school – and with the classes – where I would ultimately be doing my student teaching,” says Will Kampfman ’24 MA, a Hartford Public Schools social studies teacher. “My experience through the residency program was invaluable in preparing me for my student teaching experience in the spring, as it allowed me to start working with my cooperating teacher, to gain experience at my placement school, and to begin building positive rapport with my students.”

    Vernon Public Schools is enthusiastic about partnering with TCPCG, specifically developing future teachers through the residency model.

    “This collaboration builds on a longstanding relationship between Vernon schools and UConn, with many of the district’s most successful teachers being UConn graduates,” Superintendent Joseph Macary ’94 (CLAS), ’05 ELP, ’16 Ed.D. says. “Vernon has actively recruited UConn graduates for over a decade, and we have found great success in retaining these teachers, with very few leaving unless for personal reasons like moving.

    “The new residency program is particularly promising. Currently, seven aspiring teachers are placed across Vernon schools, where they are already making an impact,” Macary says. “One principal expressed interest in hiring these residents next year due to their impressive performance. The program allows the district to evaluate whether these residents truly want to pursue teaching before fully committing to the profession.”

    The district views the program as a solution to a national problem: the shortage of teachers. Fewer people were entering the profession even before the pandemic, and COVID-19 worsened the situation. Vernon has struggled to maintain a full staff of teachers, so building a pipeline through TCPCG’s residency program is crucial. Macary hopes many of these future educators will choose to stay in Vernon.

    These program changes – the new residency component that benefits both TCPCG students and the program’s partner districts, and the shortened program length – ensure that UConn’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates continues to be an integral part of Connecticut’s educational landscape. The program prioritizes meeting the needs of the state’s public schools and those of future educators.

    To learn more about the Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates, visit s.uconn.edu/teach.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Repackaging Seafood Waste as Plastic Alternatives

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Seafood is a major industry in New England. It generates a lot of revenue for coastal communities, but with that productivity can come a lot of waste.

    Right now, that waste – things like crab and lobster shells – is just dumped into landfills where it decomposes slowly and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

    Researchers in New England have been looking at how that waste could be used to help rather than harm the environment.

    Mingyu Qiao, assistant professor of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, and Yangchao Luo, associate professor of nutritional sciences, are two researchers in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources investigating how seafood waste and algae can be used to produce plastic-free, biodegradable packaging.

    They recently published four articles on the topic, in Foods, Food Hydrocolloids, and two in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 1 and 2.

    “That’s the motivation,” Qiao says. “We’re looking for ways we can better use that seafood waste to create a value-added product.”

    Plastic packaging is also a major source of waste in the world. Single-use plastics often make their ways into our waters where they pose a danger to sea life.

    Microplastics, pieces of plastic broken down to nearly undetectable sizes, affect humans too, as they have shown up in human brains and reproductive organs.

    Plastics are harmful to human health in another way – PFAS. PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) also known as “forever chemicals” are found in plastics and plastic coatings on paper food wrappers. They leech into our food, and we then consume these harmful chemicals.

    Qiao and Luo are looking for a solution that tackles waste from both directions.

    “Each type of seafood waste has different (chemical) components, and they might have different properties, so it can be good for different applications,” Qiao says. “The challenge is how to identify those molecules, their properties, and the best use.”

    Natural polymers like the ones with which Qiao and Luo work are safer for human, animal, and environmental health, aligning this work with the College’s investment in One Health approaches.

    These polymers do not contain synthetic chemicals which are linked to a host of poor health outcomes, and they can be easily degraded in the ocean, given that is where they originated.

    “Nature already has a mechanism to biodegrade those polymers that is millions of years old,” Qiao says.

    Luo works on turning a compound found in crab and lobster shells into packaging using an extraction process that does not generate toxic waste.

    “Even though the polymer is green, the process is not,” Qiao says. “That’s why we’re developing what we call a green biorefinery method using microorganisms that produce enzymes to break down those tissues and then we can extract the polymers sustainably.”

    In partnership with UConn’s Technology Commercialization Services (TCS), Luo and Qiao have forged a strategic alliance with a leading lobster processing company in Massachusetts to implement this innovative green extraction method on seafood waste. Together, they are pursuing a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant to accelerate the development and commercialization of this groundbreaking technology.

    Amit Kumar, senior director of licensing at UConn, says “The seafood processing industry produces valuable waste that is rich in components like chitin and alginate, which have significant potential for diverse applications, from food and medical technologies to sustainable packaging alternatives. These projects aim to harness these materials to create high-impact, eco-friendly solutions across various industries by replacing petroleum-based materials.”

    Qiao works with alginate, a compound found in algae, as an edible coating on food. He is looking at how spraying produce, like strawberries, with an alginate coating can help increase their shelf-life without the need for plastic packaging.

    Alginate is an attractive option for this application because it is completely edible, calorie-free, and not a common allergen, which is a concern for seafood-derived polymers.

    The researchers are also working with local seaweed farmers, collaborating with them as they move toward commercializing this technology.

    A postdoctoral researcher working in Qiao’s lab, Anuj Purohit, has established a company called Atlantic Sea Solutions to develop and commercialize this technology. The company was selected to receive funding from the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, or CCEI over the summer. Atlantic Sea Solutions was selected as one of five teams to compete in the School of Business’ Wolff New Venture Competition in October.

    “This research is not staying on the paper,” Qiao says. “There is commercial interest right now.”

    Qiao and Luo have disclosed three inventions and filed two provisional patents in this area.

    “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the CAHNR leadership for their continued investment in applied research like ours. These projects were initially supported by the CAHNR Exploratory Research Grant and the Strategic Vision Implementation Committees (SVIC) Funding, and we’re now beginning to see the fruits of that investment.”

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply, Advancing Adaptation and Resilience in a Changing Climate and Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Searching for a Vaccine Against an Ancient Scourge

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Syphilis cases have surged worldwide, leaving public health officials scrounging for ways to stop the spread. Now, a large, collaborative study of syphilis genetics from four continents has found hints of a possible target for a vaccine.

    Syphilis is a sexually transmitted illness that first appeared in Europe about 500 years ago. Its initial symptoms can vary, but the spiral shaped bacterium that causes it can persist in the body for years, often in the central nervous system, and cause birth defects when it infects infants in utero. Syphilis cases decreased in the middle 20th century as easy, effective treatment with injectable penicillin became available, and became uncommon in the 1990s due to changes in sexual behavior in the wake of the HIV epidemic.

    But recently, syphilis has made an unwelcome comeback. There were 207,255 cases in the U.S. in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than any time since the 1950s. Babies, some of them stillborn, made up 3,755 of those cases. Other countries worldwide are seeing the same disturbing upward trend.

    Stopping syphilis’s spread has become a pressing public health goal. Now, an international collaboration of researchers and doctors has collected one of the most extensive genomic surveys of the syphilis bacterium to date and correlated the genetic data with clinical information about the patients who provided the samples. They are using the data to search for proteins on the surface of the microbe that don’t vary. Such stable proteins could be good targets for a vaccine. They published their findings in the September issue of Lancet Microbe.

    Several previous scientific studies using whole genome-sequencing of Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum (the bacterium that causes syphilis, abbreviated as TPA) have helped researchers begin to understand the global distribution of circulating strains. However, few analyses of specimens for the purpose of evaluating TPA clinical and genetic diversity to inform syphilis vaccine development have been performed.

    This study enrolled participants from four countries, including Colombia, China, Malawi, and the U.S. Samples of TPA genomes from Africa and South America had been underrepresented in previous genetic studies and were a particularly valuable addition to the TPA genetic dataset.

    Once the samples were collected, they were sent to the University of North Carolina’s Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases in Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) to have their genetic sequences mapped in Dr. Jonathan Parr’s laboratory.

    “Whole-genome sequencing samples collected by partners around the world improved our understanding of circulating Treponema pallidum strains. The results help us understand differences between strains and identify targets for vaccine development,” says Parr.

    The researchers’ genetic mapping and protein modeling found that syphilis bacteria differed noticeably between continents, but there were enough similarities that the researchers believe they could find good targets for an effective global vaccine.

    UConn School of Medicine Professor Justin Radolf, one of the senior authors on the publication and a Principal Investigator on the NIH U19 award that funded the study, emphasized the importance of these findings.

    “By mapping mutations to three-dimensional models of the bacterium’s proteins, we’ve gained crucial insights that will inform the design of a syphilis vaccine,” Radolf says.

    Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill are assessing vaccine acceptability to determine what concerns individuals may have on participating in future syphilis vaccine trials and the potential impact of a vaccine on key populations.

    “Engaging with the community now is really important in order to get patients’ opinions and concerns about a future syphilis vaccine trial even before the vaccine has been developed,” says Dr. Arlene C. Seña from UNC-Chapel Hill, co-lead on the clinical study that enrolled participants worldwide and the lead author on the Lancet Microbe manuscript.

    The team has already secured funding to continue their efforts to develop a syphilis vaccine.

    “This study highlights the power of collaboration,” says Juan Salazar, Physician-in-Chief at Connecticut Children’s and co-lead of the project, who also serves as chair of the department of pediatrics at UConn School of Medicine. “Our work here is not just about addressing a local health concern; it’s about contributing to a global solution for a disease that continues to affect millions worldwide.”

    The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and several international research institutions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: AFRICA/CONGORD- Appointment of the Bishop of Isiro-Niangara

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: The Holy See in Italian

    Monday, September 23, 2024

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Dieudonné Madrapile Tanzi, currently Bishop of the Diocese of Isangi, as Bishop of Isiro-Niangara, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, transferring him from the same See. Bishop Dieudonné Madrapile Tanzi was born on 18 August 1958 in Niangara. He received priestly ordination on 25 August 1985 for the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara. He has held the following positions and carried out further studies: Formator in the Minor Seminary of Rungu (1985-1986); Professor and spiritual animator in the Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Philosophy Saint Augustin, Kisangani (1986-1996); Vicar General of the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara (1996-2001); Diocesan Administrator of Isiro-Niangara (2001-2003); Rector of the National Marian Shrine of Blessed Anuarite (2003-2006); Doctorate in Missiology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome (2006-2013); Chaplain of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence, Work of Don Guanella, Rome; Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University (2012-2016). Since 12 July 2024 he has been Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara. He was elected Bishop of Isangi on 2 April 2016 and consecrated on 10 July 2016. (EG) (Agenzia Fides 23/09/2024) Share:

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI: Provident Bank Welcomes Vivin Varghese As Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ISELIN, N.J., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Provident Bank, a leading New Jersey-based financial institution, is pleased to announce that Vivin Varghese has joined the organization as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

    Mr. Varghese will play a critical role in providing vision, leadership, oversight, and management of the overall information and cybersecurity policies, procedures, and practices of the organization and its subsidiaries. He will also advise the bank’s Executive Leadership Team and staff on the appropriate administration of information security standards, assisting in developing plans within business units to manage risks effectively by understanding the fundamental aspects of business objectives.

    “I am delighted to welcome Vivin to our team,” said Ravi Vakacherla, Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer. “He possesses an impressive breadth and depth of experience in Security Engineering, Security Operations, Identity Governance and Assurance (IGA), and Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) functions,” added Mr. Vakacherla.

    Mr. Varghese has 16 years of experience in the information security space. Most recently, he served as CISO of Customers Bank, with responsibility for digital and physical security, including business continuity, incident response, threat intelligence, and third-party risk. Prior to that, he was the Information Technology Manager at the University of Pennsylvania. 

    Mr. Varghese earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Management Information Systems from Drexel University. He has been recognized as a 2023 ONCON Top 100 Information Security Professionals and received the InfoSec Skills Development Award.

    About Provident Bank
    Founded in Jersey City in 1839, Provident Bank is the oldest community-focused financial institution based in New Jersey and is the wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS). With assets of $24.07 billion as of June 30, 2024, Provident Bank offers a wide range of customized financial solutions for businesses and consumers with an exceptional customer experience delivered through its convenient network of 140 branches across New Jersey and parts of New York and Pennsylvania, via mobile and online banking, and from its customer contact center. The bank also provides fiduciary and wealth management services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Beacon Trust Company, and insurance services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Provident Protection Plus, Inc. To learn more about Provident Bank, go to www.provident.bank or call our customer contact center at 800.448.7768.

    Media Contact:
    Keith Buscio
    Keith.Buscio@provident.bank

    Vested
    Providentbank@fullyvested.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d5450030-7ea8-40ae-a363-ef0136d19a84

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor unveils package to deliver on promises of new government

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The Chancellor has today unveiled a package of measures to deliver on the agenda of the new government.

    • 750 schools with primary aged pupils funded for breakfast club pilot to run from April 2025
    • New Industrial Strategy to be published in spring
    • Decision to write off over £640 million in written off Covid PPE contracts reversed
    • HMRC to consult on e-invoicing for businesses and government departments

    The Chancellor has today unveiled a package of measures to deliver on the agenda of the new government including a breakfast club pilot for 750 schools with primary aged pupils, new powers for the Covid Corruption Commissioner, e-invoicing to support business and the next steps on the government’s industrial strategy.

    School Breakfast Club Pilot

    The Chancellor announced that up to 750 schools with primary aged pupils will be invited to take part in a £7 million breakfast club pilot. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils in the summer term (April-July 2025).

    The Department for Education will work with the schools selected as part of the pilot to understand how breakfast clubs can be delivered to meet the needs of schools, parents and pupils when the programme is rolled out nationally.

    This will help reduce the number of students at schools with primary aged pupils starting the school day hungry and ensure children come to school ready to learn. It will also support the government’s aim to tackle child poverty by addressing rising food insecurity among children.

    Covid Corruption Commissioner

    Reeves also announced a block on any Covid-era PPE contract being abandoned or waived until it has been assessed by the new Covid Corruption Commissioner, whom will be appointed in October. 

    The decision will affect £647 million of Covid PPE contracts where contract recovery was previously earmarked to be waived. 

    It follows action already in motion to cut government waste and curb unnecessary spending. In her statement to Parliament in July, the Chancellor pledged to halve government consultancy spend from 2025-26, with savings targets of £550 million this financial year and a further £680 million in the next already announced.

    Excessive use of ministerial travel by aeroplane and helicopter is also being cutdown, with a contract for a VIP helicopter previously cancelled.

    Industrial Strategy

    The Chancellor also today announced that the Industrial Strategy will be at the heart of the government’s mission to grow the economy, unlock investment and make every part of the country better off. It will focus on delivering long-term change to the economy by making Britain a clean energy superpower and accelerating to net zero, breaking down barriers to regional growth, and building a secure and resilient economy.

    A green paper will be published around Budget in October outlining the long-term sectoral growth and priority industries of the government, ahead of the final strategy published in the spring of 2025 following a consultation with business.

    HMRC package

    Chancellor Reeves also outlined a package of reforms to improve the UK’s tax system to help fix the foundations of the UK economy.

    As part of the package, HMRC will soon launch a consultation on electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) to promote its wider use across UK businesses and government departments.

    The introduction of e-invoicing can significantly reduce administrative tasks, improve cash flow, boost productivity, introduce automation, and reduce errors in tax returns – all helping to close the tax gap. The consultation will gather input from businesses on how HMRC can support investment in and encourage e-invoicing uptake.

    The Chancellor also announced that Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray, the minister responsible for the UK’s tax system, has become the Chair of the HMRC Board. This is to help oversee the implementation of his three strategic priorities for HMRC; closing the tax gap, modernising and reforming, and improving customer service.

    It was also announced that a new Digital Transformation Roadmap, aimed to be published in Spring 2025, will set out HMRC’s vision to be a digital first organisation underpinned by customer insight. The Roadmap will include measures to ensure digital inclusion and support for customers who cannot yet interact digitally.

    There was a further update that new staff are expected to join HMRC’s training programme in November as 200 additional offer letters have been issued as part of the 450 letters already sent. This is part of HMRC’s plans to recruit an additional 5,000 compliance staff to help close the tax gap.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Clinical trial hub set for Q4

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The University of Hong Kong’s LKS Faculty of Medicine is designated to operate the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) due to come into full operation in the fourth quarter, the Health Bureau announced today.

    The institute is expected to operate fully at the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital in the Hetao area upon completion of the construction of its temporary office and biobank therein.  

    The institute will be moved into one of the wet laboratory-enabled buildings, which is expected to complete construction later in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation & Technology Park, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem in a proactive manner.

    The Chief Executive put forward in the Policy Address last October the establishment of the GBAICTI in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, or the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation & Technology Park.

    The bureau established the GBAICTI Limited in the second quarter of this year and designated the University of Hong Kong’s LKS Faculty of Medicine through an open tender process in the third quarter to operate the institute.

    The GBAICTI Limited is wholly owned by the Government to oversee the work of the operator and effectively supervise the operations of the institute.

    The bureau said clinical trials are an important process in translating basic research on drug and medical device innovation into marketing authorisation and clinical application.

    The GBAICTI will serve as a one-stop clinical trial support platform to co-ordinate and integrate clinical trial resources in Hong Kong’s public and private sectors, including universities, the Hospital Authority and private healthcare facilities, to give impetus to the development of clinical trials on all fronts.

    Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau said the establishment of the GBAICTI in the strategic location of the Hetao area can combine the strengths of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to provide more efficient services to multinational pharmaceutical enterprises, Mainland innovative biopharmaceutical enterprises, hospitals and research institutions.

    It can also encourage them to conduct clinical trials in Hong Kong and the GBA, thereby expediting the translation of research results.

    This is made possible as the GBAICTI can leverage the Hetao area’s development positioning for technology innovation and institutional innovation, as well as the related cross-boundary facilitation measures, Prof Lo explained.

    “We hope that this will attract more pharmaceutical and medical device enterprises within and outside Hong Kong to conduct clinical trials in Hong Kong to further enhance the city’s capacity, recognition and status in terms of clinical trials and support a progressive transition to a primary evaluation approach for drug registration in Hong Kong.”

    The GBAICTI in the Hong Kong Park and the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Centre in the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao co-operation zone will join forces to synergise the development of clinical trials, and drive co-operation among the clinical trial networks of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Mainland, in particular the GBA.

    The two parks will also co-ordinate clinical trial work of both places to comply with national and international standards.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Xunlei Announces Appointment of Two New Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xunlei Limited (“Xunlei” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: XNET), a leading technology company providing distributed cloud services in China, today announced that the board of directors of the Company has appointed Mr. Hui Duan and Mr. Xiaosong Li as members of the board of directors of the Company, effective today.

    Mr. Hui Duan had served as a director of Xunlei from April 2020 to September 2023. He currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer of Beijing Itui Technology Co., Ltd. Prior to that, Mr. Duan founded his own company that provided SaaS tools and services from October 2015 to 2017. From April 2008 to April 2015, Mr. Duan served various management positions at Xunlei including vice president and the chief executive officer of a major subsidiary of Xunlei. Mr. Duan received his EMBA degree from China Europe International Business School in 2015, and bachelor’s degree in computer science from Peking University in 2001.

    Mr. Xiaosong Li has been serving as the Vice President of AGI Business at Xunlei since December 2023. From March 2018 to November 2023, he held the position of technology partner at Beijing Itui Technology Co., Ltd., where he was responsible for leading research and development in the field of artificial intelligence. From March 2008 to March 2018, he gained valuable experience working at Baidu Search Ads (Phoenix Nest), where he progressively advanced his career and ultimately served as the Chief Architect. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in software engineering from Northwestern Polytechnical University in 2005 and a master’s degree in computer system architecture from Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2008.

    Mr. Jinbo Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xunlei, stated, “On behalf of the board of directors, I extend our warmest welcome to Hui Duan and Xiaosong Li for joining the Board. We look forward to working closely with them, leveraging their industry expertise and exceptional management experiences, to create value for our shareholders in the future.”

    About Xunlei

    Founded in 2003, Xunlei Limited (Nasdaq: XNET) is a leading technology company providing distributed cloud services in China. Xunlei provides a wide range of products and services across cloud acceleration, shared cloud computing and digital entertainment to deliver an efficient, smart and safe internet experience.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the management’s quotes in this press release, as well as the Company’s strategic, operational and acquisition plans, contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the Company and the industry. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the Company’s ability to continue to innovate and provide attractive products and services to retain and grow its user base; the Company’s ability to keep up with technological developments and users’ changing demands in the internet industry; the Company’s ability to convert its users into subscribers of its premium services; the Company’s ability to deal with existing and potential copyright infringement claims and other related claims; the Company’s ability to react to the governmental actions for its scrutiny of internet content in China and the Company’s ability to compete effectively. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by the Company is included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of the press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law.

    Investor Relations
    Xunlei Limited
    Email: ir@xunlei.com 
    Tel: +86 755 6111 1571
    Website: http://ir.xunlei.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Colonialism and apartheid stripped black South Africans of land and labour rights – the effects are still felt today

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Marthinus van Staden, Associate Professor of Labour Law, University of the Witwatersrand

    Land dispossession among South Africa’s majority black population remains a thorny issue 30 years into democracy. Labour law scholar Marthinus van Staden’s new research examines the historical relationship between land dispossession and labour control in South Africa. It explores how the systematic seizure of indigenous people’s land during colonisation and apartheid reduced them from landowners to labourers, under exploitative conditions, and how the effects continue to linger. We asked him to explain.

    What is the history of land dispossession and labour control in South Africa?

    The history spans several centuries, beginning with Dutch colonisation in the mid-17th century. It intensified under British rule from the late 18th century. Early colonial policies were inconsistent, but gradually evolved into more systematic land grabs and labour regulations.

    The discovery of minerals – primarily gold and diamonds – in the 1880s heightened the demand for cheap black labour.

    The 19th century saw other significant developments, including the abolition of slavery and the introduction of pass laws. Pass laws required black people to carry identity documents that restricted their movement, employment and settlement.

    The 1913 Natives Land Act severely restricted black land ownership. It prevented black people from owning or renting land in 93% of South Africa, which was reserved for white ownership. Many black farmers who had previously owned or rented land in what had been designated “white areas” were forced to become labourers on white-owned farms. Or they had to move to “reserves” the state had set aside.

    This was followed by a series of laws implementing urban segregation and expanding “native reserves”.

    The apartheid era of formalised racial segregation, from 1948 to 1994, saw the most extreme measures of land dispossession and labour control. The creation of the homeland system relegated black South Africans to 10 economically unviable areas, along ethnic lines. Black people in homelands were mostly forced to work in “white” South Africa, where they lacked legal rights as workers.

    It wasn’t until 1979 that black trade unions were allowed to register. This allowed them to operate openly and bargain with employers and the government for improved wages and working conditions.

    Trade unions served as important political actors. They increased black workers’ political voice and influence. In fact, all labour legislation before 1981 had the distinguishing feature of excluding black workers from its ambit of protection.

    Only after apartheid ended in 1994 did efforts begin to address the legacy of land dispossession and unfair labour practices through restitution and reforms. Land reform processes have been criticised for being ineffectual.

    What effect did dispossession have?

    Dispossession created a large pool of cheap labour for white-owned farms and industries. Without access to land for subsistence or commercial farming, black South Africans had little choice but to work for low wages in the capitalist economy. The employment contract, transplanted from colonial law, became a tool for exerting control over these workers. It reinforced their subordinate status.

    The common law contract of employment, with its inherent element of employer control, was applied to the formerly independent indigenous people now forced into wage labour.

    The homelands ensured a continuous supply of cheap black migrant labour. This system of land deprivation and labour control not only served the economic interests of the white minority. It also reinforced racial hierarchies.

    The socio-economic consequences continue. Black workers are still more likely to be unemployed – or in precarious work – than whites.

    Why does this matter today?

    The legacy of land dispossession and labour control continues to shape South Africa’s social, economic and political landscape. It’s a critical consideration in efforts to build a more just and equitable society.

    This history has created deep-rooted economic disparities. The concentration of land ownership and wealth in the hands of the white minority remains largely intact, perpetuating socio-economic inequality.

    The ongoing struggle for land restitution and reform is directly linked to this history. Addressing the legacy of dispossession is crucial for economic justice and social stability.

    Understanding this history is essential for developing effective policies to address poverty, unemployment and uneven development.

    It is also vital for national reconciliation and building a more equitable society. It underpins current debates about social justice, reparations and the transformation of economic structures.

    Which practical, remedial policies must be carried out?

    The historical link between land loss and subjugation by means of the controls inherent to the contract of employment makes land reform a necessary first step to reversing this process.

    The government has put in place formal mechanisms to halt racialised land ownership. However, land restitution and reform programmes need to be enhanced and accelerated.

    They should include restoring land rights where possible, and providing support for sustainable land use. This would address both the economic and emotional aspects of historical dispossession.

    Legislation such as the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Equity Act have done much to strengthen protections for workers’ rights, particularly for those in precarious employment situations. However, the ways in which these laws continue to endorse a global north conception of the employment relationship, which emphasises control, must be rethought.

    They must be reformed to promote equality, dignity and fair labour practices. Reforms should involve more collaborative models and addressing the socio-economic impacts to redress historical injustices.

    Targeted economic development initiatives are needed in historically disadvantaged areas, including former homelands. These could include infrastructure development, skills training programmes, and support for small businesses to create economic opportunities.

    These remedial policies should be part of an all-encompassing strategy to address historical injustices, and create a more equitable South African society.

    – Colonialism and apartheid stripped black South Africans of land and labour rights – the effects are still felt today
    – https://theconversation.com/colonialism-and-apartheid-stripped-black-south-africans-of-land-and-labour-rights-the-effects-are-still-felt-today-238243

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Arkansas Governor, Local and Community Leaders Congratulate Standard Lithium, Equinor for U.S. Department of Energy Provisional Grant up to US$225 million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEWISVILLE, Ark., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE American:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium development company and Equinor, a global energy leader, is pleased to share that its jointly-owned U.S. subsidiary, SWA Lithium LLC has been selected for up to US$225 million award negotiation from the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”). The conditional award, overseen by the DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, is one of the largest ever awarded to a U.S. critical minerals project and part of the second wave of funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This DOE funding is aimed at expanding domestic manufacturing of all segments of the battery supply chain and increasing production of critical minerals in the U.S. 

    “Arkansas is proud of its all-of-the-above energy strategy, with a rich production history of oil, natural gas, bromine, and now, lithium,” said Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders. “Lithium has the potential to supercharge South Arkansas’ economy – and this announcement from Standard Lithium moves us closer to that goal.”

    “Congratulations to SLI and its partners, and what an exciting investment in Arkansas,” said Arkansas Secretary of Energy and Environment, Shane Khoury. “This award helps ensure that Arkansas stays on track to become a world leader in lithium production and promotes lithium extraction in a proven and cleaner manner.”

    “The announcement by Standard Lithium today is exciting news for south Arkansas,” said Arkansas State Senator Matt Stone. “The $225 million grant from the Department of Energy will firmly establish Arkansas as an energy leader and pave the way for hundreds of jobs for our State.”

    “Standard Lithium’s Department of Energy grant marks a pivotal investment in South Arkansas, empowering local communities while strengthening our nation’s future,” said Arkansas State Senator Ben Gilmore. “This initiative not only fosters economic growth but also plays a crucial role in breaking our dependence on China and securing a resilient supply chain for lithium and beyond.”

    “Congratulations to the SLI/Equinor team,” said Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “Arkansas is excited to see the validation of the lithium industry growth opportunities that will benefit thousands of Arkansans. This award and others solidify Arkansas’ significant role in securing North America’s lithium supply chain.”

    “South Arkansas College is excited about this news for our long-term partner Standard Lithium, and we will continue to support them in any way possible in the future,” said President of SouthArk College, Dr. Stephanie Tully-Dartez.

    “This is great news for the people of South Arkansas and a significant investment in our future and in our nation’s future by helping to break dependence on foreign sources and supply chain for critical minerals,” said Former Arkansas House Speaker Matthew Shepherd. “Not only will this investment directly create hundreds of jobs, it will indirectly create numerous opportunities for improved healthcare, childcare, and workforce development and have a lasting positive impact on South Arkansas and beyond.”

    “UA -Pulaski Tech is proud to be an educational partner on the workforce training component of this enormous investment in domestic production, securing of supply chains and jobs in Arkansas,” said Dr. Summer Deprow, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College. 

    “Congratulations Standard Lithium on receiving this outstanding award,” said Lafayette County Judge, Valarie Clark. “Lafayette County is grateful for the opportunity to support this great company in their future endeavors.”

    “I am very proud of Standard Lithium and their persistence in receiving the funding that has been procured by their organization,” said Columbia County Judge, Doug Fields. “I know personally the challenge there is to obtain funding for a project! I’m proud to give my full support to Standard Lithium, and their endeavors to provide new jobs, new infrastructure, and to see them support the community in much-needed ways, not to mention the boost to our economy! Congratulations to Standard Lithium!”

    About the South West Arkansas Project

    The South West Arkansas Project (“SWA” or the “Project”) is located in Lafayette and Columbia Counties, Arkansas, and is being developed in partnership with Equinor, which holds a 45% non-operating interest in the Project. SWA’s Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.4 Mt and 0.4 Mt lithium carbonate equivalent, with an average lithium concentration of 437 mg/L, has some of the highest reported lithium brine concentrations in North America. The design engineers working on behalf of the Company are developing Front-end Engineering Design (“FEED”) and a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) that contemplates total production of up to 45,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate, to be developed in two phases of 22,500 tonnes per annum each.

    SWA’s direct lithium extraction and lithium carbonate facilities are planned to be located on a 118-acre property in rural Lafayette County, approximately 7 miles south of Lewisville, Arkansas. The Project is expected to create up to 300 construction jobs and 100 direct jobs and dedicate millions of dollars to community impact efforts that will benefit the local area through infrastructure improvements, community health initiatives, educational partnerships, and workforce development programs.

    The Company completed a Preliminary Feasibility Study for the project in 2023, and a DFS and FEED are currently underway.

    Qualified Person

    Steve Ross, P.Geol., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and Vice President Resource Development for the Company, has reviewed and approved the relevant scientific and technical information in this news release.

    About Standard Lithium

    Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor ASA, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Additionally, the Company is advancing the Phase 1A project in partnership with LANXESS Corporation, a brownfield development project located in southern Arkansas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.

    Standard Lithium is jointly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the NYSE American under the trading symbol “SLI”. Please visit the Company’s website at https://www.standardlithium.com.

    About Equinor

    Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. Equinor’s portfolio of projects encompasses oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions, with an ambition of becoming a net-zero energy company by 2050. Headquartered in Norway, Equinor is the leading operator on the Norwegian continental shelf and is present in around 30 countries worldwide. Our partnership with Standard Lithium to mature DLE projects builds on our broad US energy portfolio of oil and gas, offshore wind, low carbon solutions and battery storage projects.

    For more information on Equinor in the US, please visit: Equinor in the US – Equinor

    Media Contacts:

    Allysa Iverson 
    Standard Lithium Ltd.
    a.iverson@standardlithium.com

    Ola Morten Aanestad 
    Equinor
    oaan@equinor.com

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This news release may contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Colonialism and apartheid stripped black South Africans of land and labour rights – the effects are still felt today

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Marthinus van Staden, Associate Professor of Labour Law, University of the Witwatersrand

    Land dispossession among South Africa’s majority black population remains a thorny issue 30 years into democracy. Labour law scholar Marthinus van Staden’s new research examines the historical relationship between land dispossession and labour control in South Africa. It explores how the systematic seizure of indigenous people’s land during colonisation and apartheid reduced them from landowners to labourers, under exploitative conditions, and how the effects continue to linger. We asked him to explain.

    What is the history of land dispossession and labour control in South Africa?

    The history spans several centuries, beginning with Dutch colonisation in the mid-17th century. It intensified under British rule from the late 18th century. Early colonial policies were inconsistent, but gradually evolved into more systematic land grabs and labour regulations.

    The discovery of minerals – primarily gold and diamonds – in the 1880s heightened the demand for cheap black labour.

    The 19th century saw other significant developments, including the abolition of slavery and the introduction of pass laws. Pass laws required black people to carry identity documents that restricted their movement, employment and settlement.

    The 1913 Natives Land Act severely restricted black land ownership. It prevented black people from owning or renting land in 93% of South Africa, which was reserved for white ownership. Many black farmers who had previously owned or rented land in what had been designated “white areas” were forced to become labourers on white-owned farms. Or they had to move to “reserves” the state had set aside.

    This was followed by a series of laws implementing urban segregation and expanding “native reserves”.

    The apartheid era of formalised racial segregation, from 1948 to 1994, saw the most extreme measures of land dispossession and labour control. The creation of the homeland system relegated black South Africans to 10 economically unviable areas, along ethnic lines. Black people in homelands were mostly forced to work in “white” South Africa, where they lacked legal rights as workers.

    It wasn’t until 1979 that black trade unions were allowed to register. This allowed them to operate openly and bargain with employers and the government for improved wages and working conditions.

    Trade unions served as important political actors. They increased black workers’ political voice and influence. In fact, all labour legislation before 1981 had the distinguishing feature of excluding black workers from its ambit of protection.

    Only after apartheid ended in 1994 did efforts begin to address the legacy of land dispossession and unfair labour practices through restitution and reforms. Land reform processes have been criticised for being ineffectual.

    What effect did dispossession have?

    Dispossession created a large pool of cheap labour for white-owned farms and industries. Without access to land for subsistence or commercial farming, black South Africans had little choice but to work for low wages in the capitalist economy. The employment contract, transplanted from colonial law, became a tool for exerting control over these workers. It reinforced their subordinate status.

    The common law contract of employment, with its inherent element of employer control, was applied to the formerly independent indigenous people now forced into wage labour.

    The homelands ensured a continuous supply of cheap black migrant labour. This system of land deprivation and labour control not only served the economic interests of the white minority. It also reinforced racial hierarchies.

    The socio-economic consequences continue. Black workers are still more likely to be unemployed – or in precarious work – than whites.

    Why does this matter today?

    The legacy of land dispossession and labour control continues to shape South Africa’s social, economic and political landscape. It’s a critical consideration in efforts to build a more just and equitable society.

    This history has created deep-rooted economic disparities. The concentration of land ownership and wealth in the hands of the white minority remains largely intact, perpetuating socio-economic inequality.

    The ongoing struggle for land restitution and reform is directly linked to this history. Addressing the legacy of dispossession is crucial for economic justice and social stability.

    Understanding this history is essential for developing effective policies to address poverty, unemployment and uneven development.

    It is also vital for national reconciliation and building a more equitable society. It underpins current debates about social justice, reparations and the transformation of economic structures.

    Which practical, remedial policies must be carried out?

    The historical link between land loss and subjugation by means of the controls inherent to the contract of employment makes land reform a necessary first step to reversing this process.

    The government has put in place formal mechanisms to halt racialised land ownership. However, land restitution and reform programmes need to be enhanced and accelerated.

    They should include restoring land rights where possible, and providing support for sustainable land use. This would address both the economic and emotional aspects of historical dispossession.

    Legislation such as the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Equity Act have done much to strengthen protections for workers’ rights, particularly for those in precarious employment situations. However, the ways in which these laws continue to endorse a global north conception of the employment relationship, which emphasises control, must be rethought.

    They must be reformed to promote equality, dignity and fair labour practices.
    Reforms should involve more collaborative models and addressing the socio-economic impacts to redress historical injustices.

    Targeted economic development initiatives are needed in historically disadvantaged areas, including former homelands. These could include infrastructure development, skills training programmes, and support for small businesses to create economic opportunities.

    These remedial policies should be part of an all-encompassing strategy to address historical injustices, and create a more equitable South African society.

    Marthinus van Staden does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Colonialism and apartheid stripped black South Africans of land and labour rights – the effects are still felt today – https://theconversation.com/colonialism-and-apartheid-stripped-black-south-africans-of-land-and-labour-rights-the-effects-are-still-felt-today-238243

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: AFRICA/DR CONGO – Appointment of the Bishop of Isiro-Niangara

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: The Holy See in Italian

    Monday, September 23, 2024

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Francis has appointed Bishop of Isiro-Niangara, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, HE Mgr. Dieudonné Madrapile Tanzi, until now Bishop of the Diocese of Isangi, transferring him from the same See. Dieudonné Madrapile Tanzi was born on 18 August 1958 in Niangara. He received priestly ordination on 25 August 1985 for the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara. He has held the following positions and carried out further studies: Formator in the Minor Seminary of Rungu (1985-1986); Professor and spiritual animator in the Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Philosophy Saint Augustin, Kisangani (1986-1996); Vicar General of the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara (1996-2001); Diocesan Administrator of Isiro-Niangara (2001-2003); Rector of the National Marian Shrine of Blessed Anuarite (2003-2006); Doctorate in Missiology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome (2006-2013); Chaplain of the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence, Work of Don Guanella, Rome; Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University (2012-2016). Since 12 July 2024 he has been Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara. He was elected Bishop of Isangi on 2 April 2016 and consecrated on 10 July 2016. (EG) (Agenzia Fides 23/09/2024) Share:

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: Our digital 3D models of huge coral reefs could help revive these precious ecosystems

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tim Lamont, Research Fellow, Marine Biology, Lancaster University

    As a team of marine biologists, assessing the health of thousands of square metres of coral reef can be a daunting prospect. Often, we have to monitor some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, and there’s a strict time limit due to the safety regulations associated with Scuba diving.

    Accurately measuring and classifying even small areas of reefs can involve spending many hours underwater. And with millions of reefs around the world that need monitoring in the face of looming threats to their existence, speed is critical.

    But now, a digital revolution for coral reef monitoring could be underway, enabled by recent advances in low-cost camera and computing technology. Our new study shows how creating 3D computer models of entire reefs – sometimes known as digital twins – can help us monitor these precious ecosystems faster, more accurately and in greater detail than ever before.

    We worked at 17 study sites in central Indonesia – some reefs were degraded, others were healthy or restored. We followed the same protocol at rectangular areas measuring 1000m² in each location, using a technique called “photogrammetry” to create 3D models of each reef habitat.

    One of us Scuba dived and swam 2m above the coral back and forth in a “lawnmower” pattern across every square metre of this reef, while carrying two underwater cameras programmed to take photos of the seabed twice per second. Within just half an hour, we’d taken 10,000 high-resolution, overlapping pictures that covered the entire area.

    Later, we booted up a high-performance computer, and with the help of specialist experts from an underwater science tech company called Tritonia Scientific, we processed these images into accurate 3D representations for each of the 17 sites. The resulting models surpass traditional monitoring methods in speed, cost and the ability to consistently reproduce accurate measurements.

    Our research paper applies this technique to assess the success of the world’s largest coral restoration project. Mars Coral Reef Restoration Project is located at Bontosua Island on the Spermonde Archipelago in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

    Our findings show that, when well-managed, coral restoration efforts can bring back many elements, including the complexity of reef structure across large areas. By comparing the 3D models, we can see how complex the surface structure of the coral reef looks and measure its details at different scales – these aspects would be far too tricky for divers to accurately measure underwater.

    3D model video visualisation of a 50m×20m reef restoration area.

    In an earlier 2024 study, our team applied photogrammetry to measure coral growth rates at the level of individual colonies. By capturing detailed 3D models before and after a year of growth, we revealed that restored reefs can achieve growth rates comparable to healthy natural ecosystems.

    This finding is particularly significant, as it highlights the potential for restored reefs to recover and function similarly to untouched reef environments.



    Read more:
    Restored coral reefs can grow as fast as healthy reefs after just four years – new study

    Beyond coral reefs

    Photogrammetry is becoming a widely adopted tool across various fields, both on land and in the ocean. Beyond coral reefs, it is used to monitor forests with drones, develop detailed architectural and urban planning models, and monitor soil erosion and landscape changes.

    In marine environments, photogrammetry is a powerful tool for monitoring and measuring environmental changes such as variations in coral cover, shifts in species diversity and alterations in reef structure. It has also been used to develop cost-effective methods for measuring coral reef rugosity (the bumpiness or texture of the reef’s surface).

    Greater rugosity generally indicates more complex habitats, which can support a wider variety of marine life and reflect healthier reef systems. Additionally, it measures the complexity of different shapes and structures within the reef. These methods provide crucial baselines that help scientists like us track changes over time and design effective conservation strategies.

    Although this method is cheaper and quicker than traditional fieldwork, there are still significant financial barriers. The necessary equipment and software can range from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the specific equipment and software used, and mastering these techniques takes time. It may be some time before these methods become standard for most field biologists.

    Beyond coral reef monitoring, photogrammetry is increasingly being used in virtual reality and augmented reality development, enabling the creation of immersive, lifelike environments for education, entertainment and research. For example, The US agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s coral reef virtual reality offers an engaging way to explore coral reefs through virtual reality.

    In the future, photogrammetry could revolutionise environmental monitoring by offering faster, more accurate baselines and assessments of ecosystem changes such as coral bleaching and shifts in biodiversity. Advances in machine learning and cloud computing are expected to further automate and enhance photogrammetry, increasing its accessibility and scalability, and establishing its role as an essential tool in conservation science.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Tim Lamont receives funding from the Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

    Rindah Talitha Vida receives funding from Friends of Lancaster University in America through the Global Impact Small Grants and research studentship funding from Sheba Hope Advocate Program.

    Tries Blandine Razak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Our digital 3D models of huge coral reefs could help revive these precious ecosystems – https://theconversation.com/our-digital-3d-models-of-huge-coral-reefs-could-help-revive-these-precious-ecosystems-237711

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Grangemouth job losses are a stark reminder of the cost of a greener industrial future

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Phil Tomlinson, Professor of Industrial Strategy, Co-Director Centre for Governance, Regulation and Industrial Strategy (CGR&IS), University of Bath

    Grangemouth refinery has been in operation for more than 100 years. dvlcom – www.dvlcom.co.uk/Shuttershotck

    The recent announcement that Grangemouth oil refinery in central Scotland will close next year marks a notable moment in the energy transition towards net zero.

    As countries strive to meet climate targets and reduce their use of fossil fuels, the tensions between preserving jobs in “dirty” industries and creating new “green” jobs are becoming increasingly stark.

    Grangemouth, operated by Petroineos (a joint venture between PetroChina and INEOS), has been producing oil and chemical products for more than a century. It is Scotland’s only oil refinery and a major supplier of fuel to domestic and international markets.

    Its closure marks an abrupt end of an era for the local economy, which until now has been heavily dependent on the refinery. Around 400 jobs are thought to be at risk – although trade unions have warned that nearly 3,000 jobs could be affected in the wider local economy and supply chains.

    The closure reflects broader trends in the fossil fuel sector, with falling demand and governments prioritising climate action. The UK government is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

    To achieve this, there must be dramatic reductions in fossil fuel consumption such as in transport and heating. Many energy-intensive industries (including steel and ceramics) are also shifting towards renewable energy sources, leading to the gradual phasing out of refineries such as Grangemouth.

    Green jobs: a path to the future?

    The growth of renewable sectors offers new job creation opportunities. Green jobs in renewable energy, energy efficiency and environmental conservation are seen as critical in developing a sustainable economy. But as yet, they are not always available in the regions where jobs in long-established industries are being lost.

    The new government hopes to create 650,000 jobs in the UK by 2030, working with business through a combination of its Green Prosperity Plan and proposed National Wealth Fund. These jobs will be critical in sectors such as offshore wind, hydrogen production and electric vehicle manufacturing.

    The closure of fossil fuel-dependent sites such as Grangemouth highlights the importance of a “just transition”. This is a framework pushed by trade unions where workers in polluting industries are offered clear pathways to secure jobs in a post-carbon economy.

    Governments, business and unions need to cooperate to ensure these new green jobs are not only available to workers facing redundancy, but also provide similar levels of pay and working conditions as the jobs being lost.

    Despite the promise of new green jobs, the immediate reality for workers in “dirty industries” is much more uncertain. For those employed in refining, oil drilling, or making internal combustion engine cars, the idea of transitioning to green jobs in some regions can seem remote.

    Production may disappear or require far fewer workers. Also, the skills of displaced workers do not always match those required for new green jobs. And retraining programmes are not always available or accessible.

    For communities such as Grangemouth, with a population of 17,000, the economic shock of losing a major employer can be catastrophic. Jobs in oil refineries are relatively well paid and once offered long-term stability. Replacing these with green jobs offering the same benefits is challenging.

    Renewable industries can take years to take root. Yet, in the here and now, displaced workers face the prospect of unemployment. There is a tension between the urgent need to address the climate emergency and the impetus to protect jobs and livelihoods.

    Policies for a just transition

    To address these tensions, governments need industrial policies to support a “just transition” to ensure that no one is left behind, as economies shift away from fossil fuels.

    This includes programmes to allow displaced oil workers to retrain and become equipped with the skills for new green jobs. Governments, businesses and unions will need to collaborate to deliver on this – with a focus on local needs. Several local authorities are already being proactive – using national and local funding and working with training providers to retrain workers in roles ranging from heat pump installers to electric vehicle technicians.

    For Grangemouth, new targeted investment will be needed to help diversify the local economy. Government funding for renewable energy projects, infrastructure development and support for small businesses and startups could and should help.

    Workers facing redundancy from polluting industries should be helped to retrain in greener sectors like heat pump installation.
    Virrage Images/Shutterstock

    On this, the UK and Scottish governments have provided £100 million of joint funding for Project Willow, a feasibility study looking at the Grangemouth plant’s next steps.

    Local supply chains will also need to diversify into new markets. For instance, elsewhere some auto sector firms are diversifying into making wind turbines and heat pumps as they adjust to the challenges of net zero.

    In the short term, displaced workers facing unemployment will need more generous social security. Better unemployment benefits, healthcare and housing support – perhaps repackaged as part of a lifetime learning allowance – will be essential. They could safeguard workers (and their families) as they retrain for the new green jobs.

    The closure of the Grangemouth refinery is an abrupt reminder of the complexities of transitioning to a green economy. While green jobs represent the future, they cannot simply replace traditional jobs overnight. There is an urgent need for a proactive industrial strategy to facilitate industry and regional diversification, alongside new investment in training and infrastructure.

    For Grangemouth (and communities facing similar challenges, such as at Port Talbot in south Wales), the road ahead may be uncertain. But with innovative approaches – like that of Gamesa in Spain, which has recruited staff from the car industry and used their expertise to streamline its wind turbine production – a “just transition” will be possible.

    Phil Tomlinson receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People-Led Digitalisation.

    David Bailey receives funding from the ESRC’s UK in a Changing Europe programme.

    – ref. Grangemouth job losses are a stark reminder of the cost of a greener industrial future – https://theconversation.com/grangemouth-job-losses-are-a-stark-reminder-of-the-cost-of-a-greener-industrial-future-239132

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Taliban suspends polio vaccine campaign in Afghanistan – here’s the likely impact

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lee Sherry, Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow

    The Taliban recently announced that they are suspending its polio vaccination campaign in Afghanistan. The announcement was made shortly before the campaign was due to start.

    The suspension is temporary, according to the Taliban, and is due to security fears and the fact that women are involved in administering the vaccine.

    Poliovirus is a highly infectious virus that mainly affects children under the age of five, but anyone who is unvaccinated can be infected. The virus spreads from person to person mainly through traces of contaminated faeces on people’s hands getting into their mouths or, less commonly, through contaminated food or water.

    It initially infects the intestines, leading to symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache and vomiting in the early stages of the disease. But, as the infection progresses, the virus can invade the nervous system, often leading to paralysis. In the worst cases, affected children will die as the paralysis spreads to the muscles that control breathing.

    Polio was a major global childhood health concern in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, the development of polio vaccines has given us the ability to prevent polio-induced paralysis. There are two main types of polio vaccine: live-attenuated oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), made from weakened poliovirus, and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV).

    Following the introduction of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, OPV and IPV have nearly eliminated the disease. Yet polio remains a global threat, as was seen recently with the emergence of polio in the Gaza Strip.

    Afghanistan is one of only two countries, alongside neighbouring Pakistan, where polio has continued to spread. So the news that the Taliban have suspended polio vaccination will probably have major consequences for the control of the disease in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.

    Earlier in 2024, Afghanistan had used a house-to-house vaccination strategy, recommended by the WHO, for the first time in five years. This tactic ensures that most children have access to the vaccine. However, in the southern Kandahar province, the Taliban used a mosque-to-mosque vaccination campaign, which has been proven to be less effective. So Kandahar is believed to have a large number of unvaccinated children who are now susceptible to infection.

    Locally, this setback in vaccination not only poses a risk to the children of Afghanistan, but also poses a risk to children in bordering Pakistan. This is due to the high levels of movement across the borders between the two countries.

    “Afghanistan is the only neighbour from where Afghan people in large numbers come to Pakistan and then go back,” Anwarul Haq, the coordinator at the National Emergency Operation Centre for Polio Eradication, told Associated Press.

    Much wider spread

    Afghanistan has already seen an increase in paralytic polio cases in 2024, rising from six in 2023 to 14 confirmed cases in 2024 so far. Paralysis occurs in about one in 200 infections, so this increase in paralytic polio suggests a much wider spread of infection in the region. This includes Pakistan, which has reported 13 cases so far this year.

    With the reduced number of vaccinations and an increasing number of children vulnerable to polio infection, we are likely to see an increased number of paralytic polio cases in the near future. This potential increase in viral spread coupled with the number of people travelling in and out of the region may lead to the spread of polio beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan and into areas such as India and Iran.

    Unfortunately, those who are not vaccinated will also be susceptible to vaccine-derived poliovirus. This is where the OPV vaccine, which contains a weakened version of the virus, has been able to spread in areas with low vaccination coverage, allowing the virus to return to virulence.

    This has seen new vaccine-derived outbreaks seeded across several countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, which now accounts for most paralytic polio cases worldwide.

    Lee Sherry has previously worked on a WHO-funded project to develop new vaccines for poliovirus.

    – ref. The Taliban suspends polio vaccine campaign in Afghanistan – here’s the likely impact – https://theconversation.com/the-taliban-suspends-polio-vaccine-campaign-in-afghanistan-heres-the-likely-impact-239316

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: We’re in a golden age for body horror films – as Demi Moore’s The Substance proves

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Xavier Aldana Reyes, Reader in English Literature and Film, Manchester Metropolitan University

    In the 1980s, film scholar Barbara Creed coined the term the “monstrous-feminine”. It refers to the way that female monsters are typically portrayed as threatening and disgusting for reasons connected to their bodies and their sexuality. New film The Substance takes a leaf out of Creed’s book by proposing a feminist critique of female experience through the visceral language of the body horror, a sub-genre preoccupied with the transformation, destruction or grotesque exaggeration of the human body.

    The Substance is a film about a fading Hollywood star who will go to any lengths to stay beautiful. After having her TV aerobics show cancelled, Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) resorts to a mysterious serum that can create a “better” version of her – a younger double she can inhabit a few days at a time.

    As the pull of success and the return of public recognition lure Sparkle away from her older, now abandoned self, horrendous mutations ensue. It seems poignant that the protagonist of this dark parable should be played by Moore, an actor whose looks have long been scrutinised.

    In the October issue of Sight and Sound, the film’s director, Coralie Fargeat, explains that it’s not intended as a caricature, but “a mirror of society’s misogynistic mentality”. It really is “that gross … that violent in the real world,” she argues.

    Many agree with her. In a review for Film International, film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas goes as far as to call The Substance a “documentary”, due to its “emotional fidelity”. That is, its ability to make literal the disconnection between body and consciousness caused by ageing, which impacts women particularly negatively.

    The trailer for The Substance.

    A growing body of films

    The Substance is not the only major film in 2024 to be marketed, either fully or in part, as “body horror”. This is surprising because body horror originally emerged as a niche, often independently produced, sub-genre.

    Body horror’s gruesome aesthetic and themes of corporeal decay, transformation and mutilation can be off-putting for many viewers. Yet films like Love Lies Bleeding, Tiger Stripes and I Saw the TV Glow (which all had wide releases in 2024) have turned to the sub-genre. Their directors have been drawn to its ability to tell timely stories about the way corporeality, identity and social interactions cannot be separated.

    These films are largely about marginalised or maladjusted people. They show how our personal actions and sense of identity are always affected by the availability of role models and the limitations imposed on people by governmental, educational, religious and familial forces. For example, the teenage protagonist in Tiger Stripes rebels against the expectations that, because she is a girl, she should cover her hair, show modesty and be courteous.

    From Poor Things and Infinity Pool (both 2023) to Hatching (2022) and Titane (2021), the 2020s are shaping up into something of a new golden age for body horror.

    Novelist A.K. Blakemore has written of the rise of “femcore” – a literary trend of “ultraviolent body-horror”. Eliza Clark’s Boy Parts (2020), Alison Rumfitt’s Brainwyrms (2023), Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part (2024) and the anthology Of the Flesh (2024) are included under this label.

    And there’s a similar trend emerging in streaming shows, from the episode The Outside from Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (2022) to Alice Birch’s remake of David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers (2023).

    A sub-genre with substance

    One of the key things that characterises this contemporary wave of body horror is the influx of directors who identify as women and as queer.

    There were far fewer women and queer directors in the late 1970s and 1980s, when body horror gained popularity thanks to films like The Evil Dead (1981), The Fly (1986) and Hellraiser (1987), than there are now. This decade has made big moves towards inclusion, and the film industry has been greatly impacted by social movements like Me Too, Trans Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter, even if much work is yet to be done.

    Body horror is particularly appealing to creators who would have previously found it difficult to make a living in the world of commercial filmmaking. Filmmakers (including Rose Glass, Amanda Nell Eu, Jane Schoenbrun, Hanna Bergholm, Julia Ducournau, Michelle Garza Cervera, Natalie Erika James, Alice Maio Mackay, Nia DaCosta and Coralie Fargeat) have found a valuable lexicon for feminist, trans-activist and anti-racist messages in the sub-genre. Many of them talk about their work as highly personal – if not based on their direct experience.

    The body horror sub-genre is attuned to the violence of social exclusion and discrimination. Its metamorphic, painful, insidious and carnal nightmares help articulate the concerns of a new generation of artists for whom corporeality, and sometimes simply being visible, has become a political statement.

    David Cronenberg closed his classic body horror film Videodrome (1983) with the emblematic line: “Long live the new flesh!” He needn’t have worried. It’s here to stay.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Xavier Aldana Reyes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. We’re in a golden age for body horror films – as Demi Moore’s The Substance proves – https://theconversation.com/were-in-a-golden-age-for-body-horror-films-as-demi-moores-the-substance-proves-239229

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Graphene at 20: still no sign of the promised space elevator, but here’s how this wonder material is quietly changing the world

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Lyth, Strathclyde Chancellor’s Fellow, Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde

    High Level Specialist

    Twenty years ago this October, two physicists at the University of Manchester, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, published a groundbreaking paper on the “electric field effect in atomically thin carbon films”. Their work described the extraordinary electronic properties of graphene, a crystalline form of carbon equivalent to a single layer of graphite, just one atom thick.

    Around that time, I started my doctorate at the University of Surrey. Our team specialised in the electronic properties of carbon. Carbon nanotubes were the latest craze, which I was happily following. One day, my professor encouraged a group of us to travel to London to attend a talk by a well-known science communicator from the University of Manchester. This was Andre Geim.

    We were not disappointed. He was inspiring for us fresh-faced PhD students, incorporating talk of wacky Friday afternoon experiments with levitating frogs, before getting on to atomically thin carbon. All the same, we were sceptical about this carbon concept. We couldn’t quite believe that a material effectively obtained from pencil lead with sticky tape was really what it claimed to be. But we were wrong.

    The work was quickly copied and reproduced by scientists across the globe. New methods for making this material were devised. Incredible claims about its properties made it sound like something out of a Stan Lee comic. Stronger than steel, highly flexible, super-slippery and impermeable to gases. A better electronic conductor than copper and a better thermal conductor than diamond, as well as practically invisible and displaying a host of exotic quantum properties.

    Graphene was hailed as a revolutionary material, promising ultra-fast electronics, supercomputers and super-strong materials. More fantastical claims have included space elevators, solar sails, artificial retinas, even invisibility cloaks.

    Just six years after their initial work, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, further fuelling the enthusiasm around this wonder stuff. Since then, hundreds of thousands of academic papers have been published on graphene and related materials.

    But not everyone is on board. Skim through the comments section of any popular article on the material, and you’ll quickly find the sceptics. We have endured decades of empty promises about the real-world impact of graphene, they complain. Where are the game-changing products to enrich our lives or save the world from climate change, they ask.

    So has graphene been a resounding success or a damp squib? As is so often the case, the reality is somewhere in between.

    Graphene’s ups and downs

    In terms of public perception, it’s fair to say that graphene has been held to an impossible standard. The popular media can certainly exaggerate science stories for clicks, but academics – including myself – are not immune from over-egging or speculating about their pet projects either. I’d argue this can even be useful, helping to drive new technologies forward. Equally, though, there can be a backlash when progress looks disappointing.

    Having said that, disruptive technologies such as cars, television or plastic all required decades of development. Graphene is still a newcomer in the grand scheme of things, so it’s far too early to reach any conclusions about its impact.

    What has quietly occurred is a steady integration of graphene into numerous practical applications. Much of this is thanks to the Graphene Flagship, a major European research initiative coordinated by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. This aims to bring graphene and related materials from academic research to real-world commercial applications, and more than 90 products have been developed over the past decade as a result.

    These include blended plastics for high-performance sports equipment, more durable racing tyres for bicycles, motorcycle helmets that better distribute impact forces, thermally conductive coatings for motorcycle components, and lubricants for reducing friction and wear between mechanical parts.

    Safer motorbike helmets are just one of many ways in which graphene is coming to market.
    n_defender

    Graphene is finding its way into batteries and supercapacitors, enabling faster charging times and longer life spans. Conductive graphene inks are now used to manufacture sensors, wireless tracking tags, heating elements, and electromagnetic shielding for protecting sensitive electronics. Graphene is even used in headphones to improve the sound quality, and as a more efficient means of transmitting heat in air-conditioning units.

    Graphene oxide products are being used for desalination, wastewater treatment and purification of drinking water. Meanwhile, a range of graphene materials can be bought off the shelf for use in countless other products, and major corporations including SpaceX, Tesla, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony and Apple are all rumoured or known to be using them to develop new products.

    From promise to practicality

    The impact of graphene on materials science is undeniable. The impact on consumer products is tangible, but not as visible. Once a material is embedded in a working product, there is little need to keep mentioning it, and proprietary concerns can make companies reluctant to get into details in any case. Consumers can therefore be blissfully unaware that their car, mobile phone, or golf club contains graphene, and most probably don’t care, as long as it works.

    As production methods improve and costs decrease, we can expect graphene to become ever more widely adopted. Economies of scale will make it more accessible, and the range of applications is likely to continue to expand.

    Personally, after two decades, I still get excited when I try it out for something new in the lab. While I may be guilty of having contributed to the initial hype, I remain optimistic about graphene’s potential. I’m still waiting for my ride on a space elevator, but in the meantime, I’ll take comfort in the fact that graphene is already helping to shape a better future – quietly and steadily.

    Stephen Lyth does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Graphene at 20: still no sign of the promised space elevator, but here’s how this wonder material is quietly changing the world – https://theconversation.com/graphene-at-20-still-no-sign-of-the-promised-space-elevator-but-heres-how-this-wonder-material-is-quietly-changing-the-world-239223

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnicians took part in the final of the high-tech championship

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    From September 17 to 21, the final of the high-tech championship was held in Veliky Novgorod. It gathered students from colleges and technical schools from 80 regions of Russia and 16 foreign countries at the Innovative Scientific and Technological Center “Intellectual Electronics – Valdai”.

    The tournament is held as part of the All-Russian Championship Movement for Professional Skills. In addition to the competitive part, a business program was prepared with the participation of representatives of federal and regional authorities, businesses, and educational institutions. Experts discussed the introduction of modern technologies, qualifications, and training of future specialists, taking into account global trends. The panel discussion “Russia’s Human Resources Potential: Forming Future Specialists for Technological Leadership” raised issues of necessary competencies for graduates, attracting them to industrial enterprises, and integrating personnel training systems with business. One of the speakers at the session was Dmitry Tikhonov, Vice-Rector for Continuing and Pre-University Education at SPbPU.

    He noted that the key focus is now on practice: university graduates must be ready to solve real business problems. Therefore, educational programs are in demand, where students solve cases from enterprises, work on specialized software, have the opportunity to do an internship in partner companies. Enterprises that are involved in the educational process also have advantages – it is much easier for them to recruit for the necessary positions and adapt employees. Currently, SPbPU implements corporate Master’s programs and professional training in the 3rd and 4th years for internships and employment.

    Dmitry Vladimirovich also spoke at the foresight session “Consortium: a driver for the formation of future competencies.”

    “Our task together with enterprises is to be able to adapt real tasks and research for schoolchildren as well,” the vice-rector is confident. “This must be done promptly and taking into account the level of training. Therefore, the university’s efforts are also aimed at career guidance for schoolchildren, holding competitions, olympiads, conferences and full-fledged educational programs for them.”

    Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” SPbPU Sergey Salkutsan participated in several sessions. One of them touched upon the topic of technological sovereignty in the field of unmanned aircraft systems. Sergey Vladimirovich presented two developments – simulators “Lean Production” and “New Industrial Challenge” for testing various technological solutions. Also at one of the sessions, the director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the Advanced Engineering School SPbPU shared the experience of training personnel for the high-tech industry at the Polytechnic University using the example of master’s programs with industrial partners.

    At the session “Technological teams: you can’t buy them, you can’t grow them,” Sergey Salkutsan spoke about how SPbPU PISh forms student teams for various projects and emphasized

    the importance of an interdisciplinary approach and the presence of competencies among team members to achieve the best result. And Deputy Head of the Directorate of Continuous Education and Marketing Communications Ivan Kurta shared the experience of industry partnership at the Polytechnic University in the context of additional professional education. This approach allows students, employees and teachers to obtain the most relevant industry knowledge directly from employees of large enterprises and build their own development trajectory.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/education/polytechnics-took-participation-in-the-finals-of-the-high-tech-championship/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – Appointment of bishop of Isiro-Niangara

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Monday, 23 September 2024

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Dieudonné Madrapile Tanzi as bishop of Isiro-Niangara, Democratic Republic of the Congo, transferring him from the pastoral care of the diocese of Isangi.Bishop Bishop Dieudonné Madrapile Tanzi was born on 18 August 1958 in Niangara. He received priestly ordination on 25 August 1985 for the diocese of Isiro-Niangara.After ordination, he first held the roles of formator in Rungu Minor Seminary (1985-1986), teacher and spiritual animator of the Saint Augustin Interdiocesan Major Seminary of philosophy, Kisangani (1986-1996), vicar general of the diocese of Isiro-Niangara (1996-2001), diocesan administrator of Isiro-Niangara (2001-2003), and rector of the Blessed Anuarite National Marian Shrine (2003-2006). After receiving a doctorate in missiology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome (2006-2013), he went on to serve as chaplain of the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence, Opera Don Guanella, Rome, and professor of pastoral theology at the Pontifical Urbaniana University (2012-2016). Since 12 July 2024 he has been apostolic administrator of the diocese of Isiro-Niangara. He was elected bishop of Isangi on 2 April 2016 and consecrated on 10 July 2016. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 23/9/2024)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Inside the collapse of Disney’s America, the US history-themed park that almost was

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jared Bahir Browsh, Assistant Teaching Professor of Critical Sports Studies, University of Colorado Boulder

    Disney has long promoted a sanitized and nostalgic view of American history. Bettmann/Getty Images

    As a top producer of children’s entertainment, Disney is no stranger to America’s culture wars.

    Liberals have long criticized the company for its products’ promotion of gender stereotypes and racist tropes. Meanwhile, conservatives have excoriated the company for being “too woke,” whether it was casting actresses of color in live action remakes of the “The Little Mermaid” and “Snow White” or coming out against a Florida statute that curtails discussion of gender and sexuality in public schools.

    As Disney CEO Bob Iger grapples with the unenviable task of navigating criticism from all sides, I can’t help but recall how executives decided to table an effort to “Disneyfy” American history 30 years ago.

    My research and teaching investigates how media companies such as Disney construct historical narratives for popular consumption. I can only imagine how today’s culture wars would have expressed themselves at Disney’s proposed theme park, which would have featured everything from Civil War forts to Native American villages.

    Disney eyes the outskirts of DC

    From his early days as an animator, Walt Disney presented a sanitized and nostalgic view of America.

    Mickey Mouse represented the “everyman,” while the company’s animators drew a largely optimistic portrait of America, first in the studio’s animated films and later in their theme parks. Anyone who has walked down Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., witnessed Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents or visited Epcot’s American Adventure can see how Disney strives to present an uncomplicated, uncritical view of the nation and its leaders.

    In 1984, Michael Eisner became the company’s CEO. He was credited with revitalizing Disney’s brand through producing hit animated features such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid,” and spearheading theme parks such as Disney–MGM Studios – now known as Hollywood Studios – and Disneyland Paris.

    Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, seated on the left, appears with former President Ronald Reagan at a Disney World parade in 1990.
    Mike Guastella/WireImage via Getty Images

    A visit to Colonial Williamsburg inspired Eisner’s next venture: a theme park based on U.S. history that would be built outside of Washington, D.C.

    Beginning in 1993, the company quietly started purchasing real estate in northern Virginia using shell companies. The land acquisitions became public knowledge only a few days before the announcement of the theme park, aptly named Disney’s America.

    The news was largely welcomed by politicians. Eisner had already gained the support of the state’s outgoing and incoming governors, along with the Virginia Commission on Population Growth and Development. The plan was to build the park in Haymarket, Virginia, a small, wealthy area southwest of Washington, D.C., a few miles from Manassas, the site of two major Civil War battles.

    History isn’t so simple

    Although Disney had diligently worked to consolidate support ahead of the announcement, signs of conflict emerged during the first press conference, which featured Bob Weis, a Disney vice president who had helped oversee the planning of several theme parks.

    “This is not a Pollyanna view of America,” he told the group of assembled reporters. “We want to make you a Civil War soldier. We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave or what it was like to escape through the underground railroad.”

    Questions over how Disney would tell the complex – often discriminatory – history of the nation spurred a group of historians, led by David McCullough, to lodge their concerns: How would Disney construct its narrative of the United States? And how would the park affect Manassas, one of the most important Civil War battle sites?

    The proposed theme park was to be located just a few miles from Manassas National Battlefield Park.
    Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    According to the original plans and brochures, Disney’s America would contain nine sections: a Colonial-era Presidents Square, an Indigenous village, Ellis Island, a factory town from the Industrial Revolution, a Civil War fort, a county fair, an early 19th-century port, a World War II-era battlefield and a Depression-era family farm.

    On the surface, these themed areas seemed fitting. You could easily see them as exhibits at the Smithsonian. But issues emerged when people took into account that this was still a Disney theme park, with entertaining guests and making money likely taking precedence over historical accuracy and contemporary sensitivities and sensibilities.

    The story of immigration, for example, would have been told through the musical-comedy stylings of Kermit the Frog and the other Muppets.

    There were also concerns over how Disney would handle the exploitative and violent history of the treatment of a number of groups.

    This included the enslavement of Africans and the genocide of Indigenous populations, the latter of which was also connected to the forthcoming 1995 release of “Pocahontas.” Historians later highlighted the film’s distorted history, and it isn’t far-fetched to imagine rides or attractions based on those misrepresentations at Disney’s America.

    Mickey Mouse goes to Washington

    Even as plans came together for Disney, criticism began to mount.

    Disney issued an ultimatum to the Virginia legislature to improve infrastructure surrounding the site, threatening to abandon the project if the US$150 million for infrastructure improvements were not passed on the last day of the Virginia General Assembly’s legislative session in March 1994.

    In June, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a resolution opposing the park, and the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing regarding the proposed project’s environmental impact.

    The proposed logo for Disney’s America.
    Wikimedia Commons

    The now-infamous hearing featured discussions regarding sewage, traffic and lodging, and even saw U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, who at the time was a registered Democrat, place a Mickey Mouse hat on the lectern in a show of support.

    As criticism mounted, Disney decided to shift its approach. In the summer of 1994, it renamed the project Disney’s American Celebration.

    Rather than highlight periods or events in American history, the new concept would focus more on themes: Democracy, Work, Family, Generations, Streets of America and the Land.

    Many of the attractions featured in these lands would have resembled attractions already in Disney parks. For example, Generations would have been similar to the Magic Kingdom’s Carousel of Progress, while the Land was already a pavilion at Epcot.

    This would have also opened more opportunities for sponsorship. The Work section of the park would have included virtual factory tours of popular brands such as Apple or Crayola, while Streets of America would have featured cuisine from around the country, similar to Downtown Disney, which opened in 1997 in Disney World and in 2001 at Disneyland.

    It all falls apart

    Disney abruptly announced on Sept. 28, 1994, that it would abandon these plans.

    Although the criticism from historians was a factor, there were also concerns about the park’s profitability in colder months. The company faced mounting debt from its Paris theme park and uncertain leadership after the death of senior executive Frank Wells in a helicopter crash in April 1994. Eisner, meanwhile, had undergone bypass surgery in July 1994.

    Many of the attractions that were planned for the Virginia site found their way into Disney parks, particularly in Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim.

    Disney, both under Walt’s leadership and after his death, has long leveraged patriotism for the sake of its media content and park experiences. From Mickey Mouse to the Hall of Presidents, Disney’s nostalgic, linear and uncomplicated view of American progress has been foundational to the Disney experience.

    However, an entire park dedicated to this approach – just down the road from a real battlefield integral to the bloodiest war in U.S. history – was too much for historians and other critics to ignore.

    Disney’s failure to profit from an uncritical celebration of America may have been a blessing in disguise, as it avoided constructing yet another battlefield in the culture wars.

    Jared Bahir Browsh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Inside the collapse of Disney’s America, the US history-themed park that almost was – https://theconversation.com/inside-the-collapse-of-disneys-america-the-us-history-themed-park-that-almost-was-236931

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sharks and rays leap out of the water for many reasons, including feeding, courtship and communication

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By A. Peter Klimley, Adjunct Associate Professor of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis

    Manta rays breaching in waters off Costa Rica. Peter Loring, iStock/Getty Images

    Many sharks and rays are known to breach, leaping fully or partly out of the water. In a recent study, colleagues and I reviewed research on breaching and ranked the most commonly hypothesized functions for it.

    We found that removal of external parasites was the most frequently proposed explanation, followed by predators chasing their prey; predators concentrating or stunning their prey; males chasing females during courtship; and animals fleeing predators, such as a ray escaping from a hammerhead shark in shallow water.

    We found that the highest percentage of breaches, measured by the number of studies that described it, occurred in manta rays and devil rays, followed by basking sharks and then by eagle rays and cownose rays. However, many other species of sharks, as well as sawfishes and stingrays, also perform this behavior.

    A breaching white shark surprises researchers off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

    Why it matters

    It takes a lot of energy for a shark or ray to leap out of the water – especially a massive creature like a basking shark, which can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) and weigh up to 5 tons (4.5 tonnes). Since the animal could use that energy for feeding or mating, breaching must serve some useful purpose.

    Sharks that have been observed breaching include fast-swimming predatory species such as blacktip sharks and blue sharks. White sharks have been seen breaching while capturing seals in waters off South Africa and around the Farallon Islands off central California.

    However, basking sharks – enormous, slow-swimming sharks that feed by filtering tiny plankton from seawater – also breach. So do many ray species, such as manta rays, which also are primarily filter feeders. This suggests that breaching likely serves different functions among different types of sharks and rays.

    The most commonly proposed explanation for breaching in planktivores, like basking sharks and most rays, is that it helps dislodge parasites attached to their bodies. Basking sharks are known to host parasites, including common remoras and sea lampreys. The presence of fresh wounds on basking sharks that match the shape and size of a lamprey’s mouth suggests that breaching has torn the lampreys off the sharks’ bodies.

    Basking sharks are filter feeders that live on plankton. They may breach to rid their bodies of parasites.

    Other species may breach to communicate. For example, white sharks propelling themselves out of the water near the Farallon Islands may do so to deter other sharks from feeding upon the carcass of a seal.

    Researchers have seen large groups of mantas and devil rays jumping together among dense schools of plankton – presumably to concentrate or stun the plankton so the rays can more easily scoop them up. Scientists have also suggested that planktivorous sharks and rays may breach to clear the prey-filtering structures in their gills.

    Understanding more clearly when and how different types of sharks and rays breach can provide insights into these animals’ life habits, and into their interactions with their own species and competitors.

    How we did our work

    I worked with marine scientists Tobey Curtis, Emmett Johnston, Alison Kock and Guy Stevens. Across our various projects, we have seen breaching in bull sharks in Florida, basking sharks in Ireland, white sharks in South Africa and central California, and manta rays in the Maldives. Each of us has proposed different explanations for why the animals did it.

    We reviewed scientific studies and video footage to see what species had been observed to breach, under what conditions, and the functions that other researchers had proposed for them doing so. This included information gathered from data logging tags attached to sharks and rays, digital photography, and imagery from underwater and aerial drones.

    Our review proposes further studies that could provide more information about breaching in different species. For example, attaching data loggers to individual animals would help scientists measure how quickly a shark or ray accelerates as it propels itself out of the water.

    Experiments in aquarium tanks could provide more insight into why the animals breach. For example, scientists could add remoras to a tank containing bull sharks, which can live in an aquarium environment, and observe how the sharks respond when remoras attach themselves to the sharks’ bodies.

    In the field, researchers could play audio recordings of splashes from breaches to elicit withdrawal or attraction responses from sharks tagged with ultrasonic transmitters. There remains much to learn about why these animals spend precious energy jumping out of the water.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    A. Peter Klimley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Sharks and rays leap out of the water for many reasons, including feeding, courtship and communication – https://theconversation.com/sharks-and-rays-leap-out-of-the-water-for-many-reasons-including-feeding-courtship-and-communication-238487

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Goodwill created a new high school for dropouts − it led to better jobs and higher wages

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick Turner, Associate Research Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame

    Graduates found jobs in high-paying sectors, new research shows. izusek/E+ via Getty Images

    When Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana realized most of the clients in its job-training program lacked a high school diploma, it set out to address the issue.

    In 2010, with the help of per-pupil funding from the state, the nonprofit opened The Excel Center, a tuition-free high school tailored for adults. The charter school offered flexible schedules, free on-site child care, transportation assistance and a life coach. Thirteen years later, research by my team at the University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities shows that The Excel Center is a success.

    Indiana graduates of the program, which has now expanded to 10 other states and the District of Columbia, were able to find better jobs and earn substantially more over their lifetimes than their peers who did not graduate from the program.

    At the Lab for Economic Opportunities – or LEO – I worked with colleagues Rebecca Brough and David Phillips to measure the economic return of graduating from The Excel Center. We found that graduates of The Excel Center experience a nearly 40% increase in earnings five years after applying – or roughly US$80,000 more in their pockets over their lifetimes – than similarly situated adults who applied but did not enroll. The LEO team did not receive any funding from The Excel Center or Goodwill in its research, although Goodwill provided assistance with data.

    More steady employment

    According to our research, graduates of The Excel Center didn’t just earn more, but the jobs they found were more stable. Excel graduates experienced a 22% increase in continuous employment within the same industry over five years than their peers in the comparison group. Graduates of the program were 19% less likely to work in the hospitality industry – among the lowest-paid sectors in the country – and more likely to work jobs such as pharmacy technician, dental assistant or in HVAC maintenance.

    Graduates of Excel found jobs in high-paying sectors, such as HVAC maintenance.
    Mikael Vaisanen/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    In addition to a diploma, students earned industry-recognized credentials, such as those in phlebotomy and child development, and certification as nursing assistants and pharmacy technicians. These credentials opened up careers in industries such as health care and education.

    Some students used the certificates as a launching point for additional study at the local community college. At the time we conducted our research, Excel graduates in Indiana were more likely to have earned college credits: Roughly 30% of Excel graduates earned college credit, compared with 11.5% of the group that didn’t enroll.

    To reach these conclusions, we looked at the data of more than 9,000 Excel Center applicants from 2013–15. We focused on their earnings over the five years before and after they applied to the program. Our analysis compared the experience of Excel students – both graduates and nongraduates – with other adult residents of Indiana from similar backgrounds who had expressed interest in going to The Excel Center but never enrolled.

    Why it matters

    The Excel program is not just good for the students who graduate; it offers the states who help fund the program a return on their investment. Because graduates earn more, they pay more in taxes, allowing states to recoup much of the per-student cost over the graduates’ working careers. Each additional dollar of government funding generates $20 in benefits for the typical Excel Center student, measured as the present value of their lifetime increase in after-tax earnings.

    In contrast, federally funded programs such as Job Corps and Adult Education and Literacy primarily help adults without credentials study and pass a high school equivalency exam, such as the GED test. But research suggests a GED diploma has little effect on earnings, especially for women.

    More than 23 million adults in the U.S. lack a high school credential such as a diploma or a GED certificate. They are not only shut out of most jobs but also earn substantially less than their peers who have graduated from high school.

    Plans to expand

    Goodwill is leveraging the LEO study to expand the impact of its programs. In addition to the 18 Excel Center campuses the group currently operates throughout central and southern Indiana, it has partnered with Goodwill regions across the country to bring adult high schools to Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, South Carolina and Washington, D.C.

    LEO’s data was cited directly when Arizona, which had been one of 18 states without a high school option for adults, decided to join the Excel roster. In February 2020, state lawmakers – prompted by testimony from Goodwill and by the LEO research – amended the state’s law to establish a continuing high school program in the state.

    Patrick Turner has received funding to support his research from J-PAL North America, the TIAA Institute, the Russel Sage Foundation, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and Policy Impacts.

    – ref. Goodwill created a new high school for dropouts − it led to better jobs and higher wages – https://theconversation.com/goodwill-created-a-new-high-school-for-dropouts-it-led-to-better-jobs-and-higher-wages-235079

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: SBB Research Group Foundation Names August 2024 Grant Finalists: CASA Lake County, Insight Youth Outreach Blessings, Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute for Mental Health Education

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The SBB Research Group Foundation recognizes three Chicago-area charities as the August 2024 finalists of its monthly grant program supporting impactful nonprofits (in alphabetical order): 

    • CASA Lake County (Vernon Hills, IL) is committed to protecting the best interests of youth experiencing abuse or neglect. By training volunteers to advocate for these children in court and the community, the organization aims to help them safely reunite with their families or find secure, permanent homes. The vision is for all children and families to thrive emotionally, mentally, and physically, with lasting connections to caring adults and a nurturing environment.
    • Insight Youth Outreach Blessings (Bellwood, IL) creates a safe and supportive environment where children can thrive by offering programs that promote physical activity, nutrition, and mental well-being. They believe that every child, regardless of socioeconomic background, should have access to healthy extracurricular activities and aim to help children develop life skills, self-confidence, and a positive outlook on life.
    • Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute for Mental Health Education (Chicago, IL) is dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental illness, which often prevents individuals, families, and communities from receiving essential support. The institute provides resources and hope to those affected by mental illness and those who support them. The institute educates the public on mental health issues, with the overarching goal of giving a voice to those living with mental illness.

    The Foundation encourages any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to apply for a grant at sbbrg.org/apply-for-grant. Donations are awarded to different organizations monthly.

    About the SBB Research Group Foundation 

    The SBB Research Group Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm led by Sam Barnett, Ph.D., and Matt Aven. The Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies. In addition, the Foundation sponsors the SBBRG STEM Scholarship, which supports students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees. 

    Contact: Erin Noonan 
    Organization: SBB Research Group Foundation 
    Email: grants@sbbrg.org 
    Phone: 1-847-656-1111 
    Website: https://www.sbbrg.org 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Climate change is a pollution problem, and countries have stopped similar threats before – think DDT and acid rain

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alexander E. Gates, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, Rutgers University – Newark

    Adding scrubbers in coal-fired power plants helped reduce acid rain, but they continued to fuel climate change. Drums600 via Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    Climate change can seem like an insurmountable challenge. However, if you look closely at its causes, you’ll realize that history is filled with similar health and environmental threats that humanity has overcome.

    The main cause of climate change – carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels – is really just another pollutant. And countries know how to reduce harmful pollutants. They did it with the pesticide DDT, lead paint and the power plant emissions that were causing acid rain, among many others.

    In each of those cases, growing public outcry eventually led to policy changes, despite pushback from industry. Once pressured by laws and regulations, industries ramped up production of safer solutions.

    I am an earth and environmental scientist, and my latest book, “Reclaiming Our Planet,” explores history’s lessons in overcoming seemingly insurmountable hazards. Here are a few examples:

    Banning DDT despite industry pushback

    DDT was the first truly effective pesticide and considered to be miraculous. By killing mosquitoes and lice, it wiped out malaria and other diseases in many countries, and in agriculture, it saved tons of crops.

    After World War II, DDT was applied to farms, buildings and gardens throughout the United States. However, it also had drawbacks. It accumulated in mother’s milk to levels where it could deliver a toxic dose to infants. Women were advised against nursing their babies in the 1960s because of the danger.

    U.S. bald eagle populations were decimated by DDT. Once the chemical was banned, they began to rebound.
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    In addition, DDT bioaccumulated up the food chain to toxic levels in apex species like raptors. It weakened the eggshells to the point where brooding mothers crushed their eggs. Bald eagles were reduced to 417 breeding pairs across North America by 1967 and were placed on the endangered species list.

    Biologist Rachel Carson documented DDT’s damage in her 1962 book “Silent Spring” and, in doing so, catalyzed a public environmental movement. Despite disinformation campaigns and attacks from the chemical industry, tremendous public pressure on politicians led to congressional hearings, state and federal restrictions and eventually a U.S. ban on the general use of DDT in 1972.

    Rachel Carson, whose book ‘Silent Spring’ led to a study of pesticides, testifies before a Senate committee in Washington on June 4, 1963.
    AP Photo/Charles Gorry

    Bald eagles recovered to 320,000 in the United States by 2017, about equal to populations from before European settlement. The chemical industry, facing a DDT ban, quickly developed much safer pesticides.

    Building evidence of lead’s hazards

    Lead use skyrocketed in the 20th century, particularly in paints, plumbing and gasoline. It was so widespread that just about everyone was exposed to a metal that research now shows can harm the kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system and children’s brain development.

    Clair “Pat” Patterson, a geochemist at the California Institute of Technology, showed that Americans were continuously exposed to lead at near toxic levels. Human skeletons from the 1960s were found to have up to 1,200 times the lead of ancient skeletons. Today, health standards say there’s no safe level of lead in the blood.

    Lead paint was banned for residential use in the U.S. in 1978, but existing lead paint in older homes can still chip, creating a health risk for children today.
    EPA

    Despite threats both personally and professionally and a disinformation campaign from industry, Patterson and his supporters compiled years of evidence to warn the public and eventually pressured politicians to ban lead from many uses, including in gasoline and residential paints.

    Once regulations were in place, industry ramped up production of substitutes. As a result, lead levels in the blood of children decreased by 97% over the next several decades. While lead exposure is less common now, some people are still exposed to dangerous levels lingering in homes, pipes and soil, often in low-income neighborhoods.

    Stopping acid rain: An international problem

    Acid rain is primarily caused when sulfur dioxide, released into the air by the burning of coal, high-sulfur oil and smelting and refining of metals, interacts with rain or fog. The acidic rain that falls can destroy forests, kill lake ecosystems and dissolve statues and corrode infrastructure.

    Acid rain damage across Europe and North America in the 20th century also showed the world how air pollution, which doesn’t stop at borders, can become an international crisis requiring international solutions.

    The problem of acid rain began well over a century ago, but sulfur dioxide levels grew quickly after World War II. A thermal inversion in London in 1952 created such a concentration of sulfur dioxide and other air pollutants that it killed thousands of people. As damage to forests and lakes worsened across Europe, countries signed international agreements starting in the 1980s to cut their sulfur dioxide emissions.

    Trees killed by acid rain in the Czech Republic in 1998. Forests across many parts of Europe and North America suffered from acid rain damage.
    Seitz/ullstein bild via Getty Images

    In the U.S., emissions from Midwestern power plants killed fish and trees in the pristine Adirondacks. The damage, health concerns and multiple disasters outraged the public, and politicians responded.

    Sulfur dioxide was named as one of the six criteria air pollutants in the groundbreaking 1970 U.S. Clean Air Act, which required the federal government to set limits on its release. Power plants installed scrubbers to capture the pollutant, and over the next 40 years, sulfur dioxide concentrations in the U.S. decreased by about 95%.

    Parallels with climate change

    There are many parallels between these examples and climate change today.

    Mountains of scientific evidence show how carbon dixoide emissions from fossil fuel combustion in vehicles, factories and power plants are warming the planet. The fossil fuel industry began using its political power and misinformation campaigns decades ago to block regulations that were designed to slow climate change.

    And people around the world, facing worsening heat and weather disasters fueled by global warming, have been calling for action to stop climate change and invest in cleaner energy.

    The first Earth Day, in 1970, drew 20 million people. Rallies in recent years have shifted the focus to climate change and have drawn millions of people around the world.

    Public campaigns and huge rallies for action on climate change, like this one in New York City in 2023, help put public pressure on politicians.
    Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images

    The challenge has been getting politicians to act, but that is slowly changing in many countries.

    The United States has started investing in scaling up several tools to rein in climate change, including electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. Federal and state policies, such as requirements for renewable energy production and limits on greenhouse gas emissions, are also crucial for getting industries to switch to less harmful alternatives.

    Climate change is a global problem that will require efforts worldwide. International agreements are also helping more countries take steps forward. One shift that has been discussed by countries for years could help boost those efforts: Ending the billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded fossil fuel subsidies and shifting that money to healthier solutions could help move the needle toward slowing climate change.

    Alexander E. Gates is affiliated with The Newark Green Team.

    – ref. Climate change is a pollution problem, and countries have stopped similar threats before – think DDT and acid rain – https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-a-pollution-problem-and-countries-have-stopped-similar-threats-before-think-ddt-and-acid-rain-236479

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A video game based on the Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West’ is the most recent example of innovative retelling of this popular story

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michael Naparstek, Lecturer in Religious Studies, University of Tennessee

    Gaming enthusiasts at the 2023 Gamescom gaming fair on Aug. 23, 2023, in Cologne, Germany. Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images

    The recent launch of the video game “Black Myth: Wukong” has broken numerous records around the world for the number of users. The game is set in the world of the famous Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” where players battle gods and demons of traditional popular Chinese religion. In the first few weeks following its release on Aug. 19, 2024, “Black Myth: Wukong” had reportedly sold over 18 million copies, making it one of the fastest-selling games of all time.

    Players take on the role of freeing Sun Wukong, the monkey protagonist from the popular 16th-century novel. The story details the journey of the Chinese monk, Xuanzang, as he makes his way to India in search of Buddhist scrolls. Sun Wukong aids the monk in this trip. Yet, the monkey proves to be the ultimate troublemaker, as Sun Wukong insults popular gods of the Chinese pantheon and insists on besting them in magical battles. Sun Wukong’s fate is sealed when the Buddha imprisons him under a mountain as punishment for all the havoc he created in Heaven.

    The video game picks up after the end of the story, pitting the player against those whom Sun Wukong had fought in the popular narrative. In so doing, the game continually references the complex and competitive world of traditional Chinese religion in which Buddhist, Taoist and popular gods are always interacting with one another.

    As a scholar of Chinese religion, I am interested in the ways narratives of Chinese deities become popular and spread across different contexts. The popularity of “Black Myth: Wukong” is the most recent example in a centuries-old tradition of retelling this story through popular media.

    Woodblock print of the monkey king from the Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West.’
    Japanese Artist Yashima Gakutei, 1827, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    Many stories, many versions

    “Journey to the West” was first published in 1592, but the stories were popular long before that.

    As scholar of Chinese literature Anthony Yu notes, the various tales describing Xuanzong and Sun Wukong’s adventures existed for nearly 1,000 years before they were collected and published in “Journey to the West.” People in traditional China would hear many of these adventures through oral storytelling, but also through various media such as dramatic performances, poetic tales and short stories.

    Traveling opera troupes were one of the most popular ways to tell Sun Wukong’s tale. Professional actors would perform tales of Sun Wukong’s exploits through dramatic renditions coupled with acrobatic fight scenes and dazzling displays of martial arts. These entertaining performances would disseminate information about the gods to both literate and illiterate audiences all throughout China.

    An 18th-century painting of a Chinese traveling opera performance.
    Xu Yang, 18th c. via Wikimedia Commons

    Stories of Sun Wukong’s mischievous, and often irreverent, behavior made their rounds throughout traditional Chinese society. The monkey hero’s brash attempts at subverting authority and picking fights with divine personae cemented his place as a popular cultural icon. As scholar of Chinese religions Meir Shahar notes, novels such as “Journey to the West” served as a way to define and transmit an entire pantheon of deities all across the various regions of traditional China.

    In so doing, these forms of media would reflect the dynamic world of Chinese religion and, at the same time, help shape the way people would come to understand the stories of their own gods.

    Impact on Chinese religions

    Many of the characters who appear in “Journey to the West” come directly out of the Chinese pantheon. Guanyin, the Buddhist deity of compassion and one of the most popular gods across East Asia, has her struggles against Sun Wukong; Taoist figures, such as the deified Lao-tzu, the purported author of the Taoist classic “Tao Te Ching,” battles with the monkey, and ancient Chinese deities like the Queen Mother to the West and the Jade Emperor play a prominent role as authority figures throughout the story.

    Sun Wukong also battles localized gods like the martial deity Erlang. Many of these figures are also referenced throughout the video game, while some, like Erlang, appear as “bosses” who need to be defeated before moving on to the next level.

    In the novel, the gods work together to stand in the way of Sun Wukong, representing the authority of the Chinese pantheon. At the same time, Sun Wukong often gets the better of the gods, either through trickery or martial prowess. Eventually, the authority of the gods wins out, with the monkey trapped under the mountain. Yet, this is not the end of Sun Wukong. As the recent release of the video game demonstrates, it is but one more beginning to the monkey’s story.

    While the game is careful not to promote any one religious identity, the cultural source for these compelling characters remains deeply rooted in the long history of Chinese religions.

    Today’s gamers get to encounter aspects of Chinese culture in a whole new way. Players who may be unfamiliar with Sun Wukong’s character from the novel can still see Sun Wukong flip in the air, brandish his weapons and defeat his enemies with dramatic flair. Only now the gamer gets to perform these feats through their connection with the video game’s hero.

    Still, while the gaming experience may be relatively new, enjoying tales of the gods is very old.

    Michael Naparstek does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. A video game based on the Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West’ is the most recent example of innovative retelling of this popular story – https://theconversation.com/a-video-game-based-on-the-chinese-novel-journey-to-the-west-is-the-most-recent-example-of-innovative-retelling-of-this-popular-story-238404

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mixed emotions – neuroscience is exploring how your brain lets you experience two opposite feelings at once

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Anthony Gianni Vaccaro, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Psychology, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

    Can you hold a positive emotion simultaneously with a negative one? Dimitri Otis/Stone via Getty Images

    Countless parents across the country recently dropped their kids off at college for the first time. This transition can stir a whirlwind of feelings: the heartache of parting, sadness over a permanently changed family dynamic, the uncertainty of what lies ahead – but also the pride of seeing your child move toward independence. Some might describe the goodbye as bittersweet, or say that they’re feeling mixed emotions.

    In that scenario, what would you do if I asked you to rate how you felt on a scale from 1-9, with 1 being the most negative and 9 the most positive? This question seems silly given the circumstances – how should you rate this blend of bad and good? Yet, this scale is what psychology researchers often use to survey feelings in scientific studies, treating emotions as either positive or negative, but never both.

    I’m a neuroscientist who studies how mixed emotions are represented in the brain. Do people ever truly feel both positive and negative at the same time? Or do we just switch quickly back and forth?

    What emotions do for you

    Scientists sometimes define emotions as states of the brain and body that motivate you toward or away from things. People typically experience them as either positive or negative.

    If you’re walking in the woods and see a bear, your heart rate and breathing accelerate, giving you the urge to flee – likely helping you make a decision that keeps you alive. Many scientists would label that reaction as the emotion of “fear.”

    Similarly, warm feelings around loved ones make you want to stay around them and nurture those relationships, helping strengthen your social network and support system.

    This approach-and-avoid view of emotions helps explain why emotions evolved and how they affect decision-making. Scientists have used it as a guiding principle when trying to figure out the biology behind emotions.

    But mixed emotions do not fit into this framework. If opposite biological systems inhibit each other, and if emotions are biological, you can’t experience opposites in the same moment. This reasoning would mean it’s impossible to hold two opposite emotions at once; you must instead be flipping back and forth. Ever since scientists proposed the first theories on the biological foundations of emotion, this is how they’ve conceptualized mixed emotions.

    The pride, love and sadness that mingle when a parent drops off a child at college comprise a classic mixture of emotions.
    fstop123/E+ via Getty Images

    Untangling the biology of mixed emotions

    Mainstream methods for measuring feelings still treat positive and negative as opposite sides of a spectrum. But researchers find that study participants commonly report mixed emotions.

    For instance, people across cultures experience some feelings, such as nostalgia and awe, as simultaneously positive and negative.

    One research group found that volunteers’ physiological responses – such as heart rate and skin conductance – display unique patterns during experiences that are both disgusting and funny, compared with either category separately. This implies that disgusted and amused reactions are indeed occurring simultaneously to create something new.

    In a seemingly contradictory finding, research that used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to study brain responses to disgusting humor did not find a pattern of brain activity that was distinct from plain disgust. The brain states of people reporting being both disgusted and amused seemed to reflect only disgust – not a unique pattern for a new mixed emotion.

    But fMRI studies generally rely on averaging brain activity across people and time. The heart of the question – experiencing truly mixed emotions versus fluctuating between positive and negative states – concerns what the brain is doing over time. It is possible that by looking at the average brain activity across time, scientists end up with a pattern that looks a lot like one emotion – in this case, disgust – but are missing important information about how activity changes or stays the same second-to-second.

    Mixed emotions in the brain

    To dig in to that possibility, I ran a study to see whether mixed emotions were related to a unique brain state that held steady over time.

    While in the MRI machine, participants watched a bittersweet animated short film about a young girl’s lifelong pursuit, with her father’s support, to become an astronaut. Spoiler alert: Her dad dies. After scanning, those same subjects rewatched the video and labeled the exact times they had felt positive, negative and mixed emotions.

    Researchers looked for brain areas with above average (red) or below average (blue) activity during moments in Taiko Studio’s ‘One Small Step’ that elicited mixed emotions.
    Taiko Studios and University of Southern California Dornsife Office of Communications

    My colleagues and I discovered that mixed emotions didn’t show unique, consistent patterns in deeper brain areas like the amygdala, which plays an important role in quick responses to emotionally important items. Strikingly, the insular cortex, a part of the brain that connects deeper brain regions with the cortex, had consistent and unique patterns for both positive and negative emotions, but not for mixed ones. We took this finding to mean that regions such as the amygdala and insular cortex were processing positive and negative emotions as mutually exclusive.

    But we did see unique, consistent patterns in cortical regions such as the anterior cingulate, which plays an important role in processing conflict and uncertainty, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is important for self-regulation and complex thinking.

    These brain regions in the cortex that carry out more advanced functions appear to represent much more complex states, allowing someone to truly feel a mixed emotion. Brain regions such as the anterior cingulate and ventromedial prefrontal cortex integrate many sources of information – essential for being able to form a mixed emotion.

    Our findings also fit with what scientists know about brain and emotional development. Interestingly, kids do not begin to understand or report mixed emotions until later in childhood. This timeline matches up with what researchers know about how development of these brain regions leads to more advanced emotional regulation and understanding.

    What happens next

    This study revealed something new about how complex feelings are formed in the brain, but there is much more to learn.

    Mixed emotions are so interesting, in part, because of their potential role during important life events. Sometimes, mixed emotions help you cope with big changes and turn into cherished memories. For example, you may experience both positive and negative feelings when your friends throw a big going away party before you move to another city for your dream job.

    Other times, mixed emotions are an ongoing source of distress. Even if you know you should break up with a romantic partner, that doesn’t mean all the positive feelings you have about them automatically go away, or that a split won’t bring some pain.

    What leads to this difference in outcome? Might these differences have to do with how the brain represents these mixed emotional states over time? A better understanding of mixed emotions might help people make sure these kinds of strong feelings become cherished memories that help them grow, instead of a distressing goodbye they fail to get over.

    Anthony Gianni Vaccaro does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Mixed emotions – neuroscience is exploring how your brain lets you experience two opposite feelings at once – https://theconversation.com/mixed-emotions-neuroscience-is-exploring-how-your-brain-lets-you-experience-two-opposite-feelings-at-once-234994

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Here’s how to maintain healthy smartphone habits

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Shelia R. Cotten, Provost’s Distinuished Professor of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice and Communication, Clemson University

    Do you have a healthy relationship with your phone? Morsa Images/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    What is the first thing you do in the morning after you awaken? Many people immediately check their phones for notifications of messages, alerts and social media updates by their social ties.

    Ninety-seven percent of U.S. adults report owning a cellphone, with 90% reporting that they own a smartphone.

    While some researchers and media outlets portray phone use as detrimental, the reality is that the effects of technology use, including phones, vary depending on multiple factors. These include the amount, type, timing and purpose of that use. What is best for one group may not be best for another when thinking about technology use.

    As a researcher who studies technology use and quality of life, I can offer some advice to hopefully help you thrive in a phone-saturated world. Some people may struggle with how to effectively use smartphones in their daily lives. And many people use their phones more than they think they do or more than they would like at times.

    1. Monitor your use on a weekly basis

    If the hours per day are increasing, think about why this is the case and whether this increased use is helping or hurting your everyday activities. An aspect of digital literacy is understanding your usage patterns.

    2. Consider how you can use these devices to make your life easier

    Using a smartphone can help people access online information, schedule appointments, obtain directions, communicate through a variety of mechanisms and potentially be in constant contact with their social ties.

    This availability and access to information and social ties can be beneficial and help people juggle work and family responsibilities. However, it may also be related to work intensification, information overload, decreased well-being and the blurring of work/nonwork boundaries.

    Weighing the pros and cons of use may help you understand when your phone use is beneficial versus detrimental.

    3. Silence nonessential notifications and alerts

    Do you really need to know that an old friend from high school messaged you on Facebook at that particular moment?

    4. Select particular times during the day for social media

    Be deliberate about when you allow yourself to use your phone for social media and other activities. Knowing these times each day may help you concentrate as well as help you to use your phone in more useful and productive ways.

    This is a good way to disrupt your sleep.
    Sergey Mironov/Moment via Getty Images

    5. Avoid phone use at bedtime

    Don’t look at your phone last thing before going to sleep or first thing when you awaken. Have you ever checked email one last time before going to sleep, only to find a message that gets your mind racing and ends up impeding your rest?

    6. Choose when not to use your phone

    Set times and situations when you are not going to use your phone.

    Some of my research has shown that using your phone when in the presence of others who are not using devices, particularly older adults, can be perceived as rude, deter communication and induce distress. My colleagues and I termed this situation the physical-digital divide.

    7. Find your own phone-use balance

    Don’t compare yourself with others in terms of amount of use but be cognizant of when your use is beneficial versus perhaps leading you to feel stressed or distracted.

    8. Moderate phone-as-distraction

    Using your phone as a distraction is OK, but do it in moderation. If you find yourself constantly turning to your phone when you are bored or working on something that is hard, try to find ways to maintain your focus and overcome the challenges you are experiencing.

    Using your phone as a distraction isn’t necessarily bad – if you don’t overdo it.
    Aja Koska/E+ via Getty Images

    9. Set boundaries

    Let your immediate social ties know that you are not going to be checking your phone constantly. While people often expect immediate responses when they message others, the reality is that the majority of messages do not need an immediate response.

    10. Be a savvy consumer of online information

    This is not exclusive to phones, but it is relevant given the proportion of people who report using their mobile phones and other digital devices to access news and social media. In the era of mis- and disinformation, being critical of information found online is a necessity.

    These suggestions can help you to be more cognizant of how much you are using your phone as well as the reasons you are using it. It’s important for your well-being to be a critical consumer of technology and the information you glean from using your devices, particularly your ever-present mobile phone.

    Shelia R. Cotten currently receives funding for her research from The National Science Foundation.

    – ref. Here’s how to maintain healthy smartphone habits – https://theconversation.com/heres-how-to-maintain-healthy-smartphone-habits-236555

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: In October in Geneva, let’s cultivate democracy!

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    Source: Switzerland – Canton Government of Geneva in French

    From October 4 to 12, 2024, Geneva invites the population to “Cultivate Democracy” as part of the 10th edition of its traditional week celebrating popular sovereignty. A rich and varied program, intended for all audiences, is offered by the many public and private entities gathered for the occasion around this theme.

    Democracy Week 2024 Logo

    With over forty partners and nearly as many events, including thirty-two open to the public, Democracy Week 2024 promises to be a must-attend event for anyone interested in civil rights. Two separate programs will be offered: one for the general public, the other reserved for schools.

    Multiple themes

    The population will have a wide choice of activities available: conferences, debates, workshops, round tables, exhibitions or even guided tours and evening discussions. Among the many themes proposed, visitors will be able to explore local, Swiss and international democracy; take an interest in the awakening of citizen consultation; try to determine the implications of digital technology and artificial intelligence on our democracies; reflect on the impact of democracy on the youngest, with the celebration of the hundred years of children’s rights; encourage the political participation of the greatest number or discover the behind the scenes of political communication. Finally, they will have the opportunity to discuss ways to improve our society through foresight and the role of philanthropy in democratic societies.

    Distinguished guests

    Eminent personalities will participate in this new edition. To name but a few, let us mention Federal Councillor Beat Jans, Professor Loïc Blondiaux, specialist in local democracy, Irene Khan, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Pascal Crittin, Director General of RTS and Professor Rodney Benson, specialist in electoral communication from New York University, who will discuss the upcoming American elections.

    Join us and cultivate democracy with us during this 10th edition of Democracy Week in Geneva!

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI